Will a Civil Lawsuit Show Up on a Background Check?

A civil lawsuit usually does not show up on a standard criminal background check. However, a civil lawsuit may appear if the background check includes a civil records search, county civil search, federal civil search, or deeper due diligence screening.

At Global Background Screening, we most often see civil lawsuit searches requested for higher-responsibility or higher-risk situations, including management roles, directors, business partners, contractors, vendors, financial responsibility positions, and roles involving access to property, money, contracts, or sensitive information.

A civil lawsuit is different from a criminal record. Criminal records involve alleged violations of criminal law, while civil lawsuits usually involve disputes between individuals, businesses, landlords, tenants, creditors, vendors, partners, or other parties.

Quick Answer

A civil lawsuit will usually not show up on a typical criminal background check. It may show up if the background check includes a civil records search, county civil search, federal civil search, adverse media search or specialized due diligence search.

For FCRA-compliant employment screening, Global Background Screening does not report dismissed civil lawsuits or lawsuits resolved in favor of the applicant. When civil records are included, we focus on adverse civil lawsuits where the applicant is listed as a defendant, where legally reportable and appropriate for the screening purpose.

Do Civil Lawsuits Show Up on a Standard Background Check?

Usually, no.

A standard background check does not always include a civil lawsuit search unless it is specifically ordered. For example, a basic criminal background check may search criminal records but not civil court filings.

That means a civil lawsuit will generally only appear if the background check package includes a civil records search, county civil search, federal civil search, or similar civil court records service. In addition, if it's a high-profile civil case or federal civil case, an adverse media search may also pull civil records.

This is why it is important to choose the correct background screening package before ordering. If civil litigation history is relevant to the position, business relationship, or screening purpose, a civil search should be selected as an add-on or standalone service.

You can view available U.S. screening options through the USA Background Screening Checkout Portal

What Is a Civil Background Check?

A civil background check searches for certain types of civil court records. These may include lawsuits, judgments, claims, disputes, or other non-criminal court matters where the applicant or subject is listed as a party.

Civil cases may involve issues such as:

• Business disputes

• Breach of contract claims

• Fraud-related civil allegations

• Negligence claims

• Property disputes

• Landlord-tenant matters

• Debt-related lawsuits

• Professional liability claims

• Personal injury lawsuits

• Employment-related civil litigation

• Partnership or ownership disputes

A civil search is not the same as a criminal background check. It is also not the same as a credit report, although civil judgments and liens may sometimes be discussed in financial, tenant, business, or due diligence screening contexts.

Civil Lawsuits vs. Criminal Records

Civil lawsuits and criminal records are very different.

A criminal record involves an alleged violation of criminal law. These cases are usually brought by a prosecutor or government authority.

A civil lawsuit is generally a dispute between private parties, companies, organizations, or individuals. Civil cases may involve money damages, contract disputes, property disputes, negligence claims, business disputes, landlord-tenant issues, or other non-criminal allegations.

Here is the simple difference:

Search Type	Will It Show Civil Lawsuits?	Best For
Criminal background check	Usually no	Criminal history screening
County civil search	Yes, where records are available based off applicant's ssn	Local civil lawsuits and judgments
Federal civil search	Yes, federal civil cases	Federal litigation history
National civil database search	May identify digitized civil records in the USA	Broader civil record discovery
International civil search	Yes, available in many countries	Global applicants, contractors, vendors, and partners

Because these are separate searches, a civil lawsuit will not usually appear unless a civil search is specifically ordered.

When Should an Employer or Organization Search for Civil Lawsuits?

Civil lawsuit searches are not necessary for every applicant. In many routine hiring situations, a civil lawsuit search may not be relevant.

However, some roles involve higher levels of trust, access, responsibility, or financial exposure. In those situations, a civil background check may help an employer, property manager, organization, or business better understand potential risk.

Civil searches may be useful for:

• Executive hiring

• Management and director-level screening

• Partnership screening

• Contractor vetting

• Vendor due diligence

• Financial responsibility roles

• Positions involving access to confidential information

• Positions involving access to homes, properties, clients, or vulnerable populations

• Roles involving contracts, payments, assets, or business decision-making

• Real estate, property management, and tenant-related matters

• Professional service providers

• International applicants, contractors, or vendors

For example, a company hiring a director, financial controller, managing partner, or high-level contractor may want to know whether there are adverse civil lawsuits involving fraud, breach of contract, financial misconduct, negligence, or other relevant claims.

The key is relevance. Civil records should be reviewed carefully and used only when appropriate for the permissible purpose of the background check.

For employment screening, customers can also review Global Background Screening’s Employment Background Checks services.

For rental or housing-related screening, customers can review Tenant Background Checks.

Key Facts About Civil Lawsuits and Background Checks

• A civil lawsuit is not the same as a criminal record.

• A standard criminal background check usually does not include civil lawsuits.

• Civil lawsuits may appear when a civil records search is specifically ordered.

• County civil searches and federal civil searches look at different court systems.

• Civil searches are often used for executives, directors, managers, contractors, vendors, partners, and financial responsibility roles.

• Global Background Screening offers USA National Civil Search, Federal Civil Search, and international civil search options.

• Global Background Screening lists pricing and turnaround times online where available.

• For FCRA-compliant employment screening, dismissed civil lawsuits and lawsuits resolved in favor of the applicant are not reported by Global Background Screening.

Global Background Screening’s USA National Civil Search

Global Background Screening provides a USA National Civil Search for customers who need civil records included as part of a background screening package.

Our USA National Civil Search includes:

• A national civil database search of digitized records

• A county-level civil search based on the applicant’s SSN/address history

• Search coverage designed to identify relevant adverse civil records

• Optional add-on services based on the screening purpose

The USA National Civil Search is available for $31.50.

You can order U.S. civil searches and other U.S. background check services through the USA Background Screening Checkout Portal.

Are Federal Civil Searches Available?

Yes. Federal civil searches are also available.

Federal civil records are separate from county and state civil court records. A federal civil case may involve matters filed in federal court, including certain business disputes, employment-related claims, civil rights claims, regulatory matters, intellectual property disputes, and other federal jurisdiction cases.

Global Background Screening offers Federal Civil searches for only $6 as an add-on option. See image above showing what to select at the checkout portal for a Federal Civil search.

This can be useful when a customer wants a broader civil litigation search beyond county-level or national database coverage.

Are International Civil Searches Available?

Yes. Civil searches are also available internationally in many countries.

Global Background Screening offers international civil searches in almost every country where criminal searches are available, covering 180+ countries and territories. Availability, pricing, required documents, and turnaround times vary by country.

For international civil searches and other services outside the United States, customers can order through the International Services & Right-to-Work Checkout Portal.

Turnaround times for each country are listed in the dropdown options at checkout, along with pricing for available services.

What Civil Lawsuits Does Global Background Screening Report?

For FCRA-compliant employment screening, Global Background Screening does not report dismissed civil lawsuits or lawsuits resolved in favor of the applicant.

When civil records are included, Global Background Screening focuses on adverse civil lawsuits where the applicant is listed as a defendant, where legally reportable and appropriate for the screening purpose.

This is important because not every lawsuit is meaningful or adverse. People and businesses can be sued for many reasons, and lawsuits may be dismissed, resolved in favor of the defendant, settled without admission of liability, filed incorrectly, or unrelated to the screening purpose.

For employment-related background checks, consumer reports are regulated by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The FCRA is designed to promote accuracy, fairness, and privacy in consumer reporting. Employers using consumer reports for employment purposes must generally follow disclosure, authorization, and adverse action requirements.

Helpful government resources include:

• FTC: Using Consumer Reports — What Employers Need to Know

• CFPB: Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act

• EEOC: Background Checks and Employment Decisions

This article is for general background screening education and is not legal advice. Employers should review federal, state, local, and industry-specific requirements before making employment or screening decisions.

Can a Civil Lawsuit Affect Employment?

A civil lawsuit should not automatically disqualify an applicant.

Employers should consider whether the record is accurate, relevant, job-related, legally reportable, and appropriate for the role. They should also follow applicable federal, state, and local laws.

If an employer uses a consumer report from a background screening company for employment purposes, the employer must follow FCRA requirements. This includes getting proper authorization before the report is ordered and following the adverse action process if information in the report may negatively affect the applicant.

The same practical principle applies to civil records: employers should avoid blanket decisions and review the relevance of any record carefully.

When Should You Add a Civil Search?

You may want to consider adding a civil search when the applicant or subject will hold a role involving:

• Financial decision-making

• Contract authority

• Client trust

• Access to property

• Access to confidential data

• Management responsibility

• Vendor or contractor access

• Partnership or ownership responsibility

• Public-facing professional services

• High-risk business operations

A civil search may not be necessary for every role, but it can be helpful when the position involves a higher degree of trust or potential liability.

How to Order a Civil Lawsuit Background Check

Global Background Screening makes the ordering process simple.

For U.S. civil searches, use the USA Background Screening Checkout Portal.

For international civil searches and services outside the United States, use the International Services & Right-to-Work Checkout Portal.

As always, Global Background Screening lists pricing for available services directly online. For international services, pricing and estimated turnaround times are shown in the checkout dropdown options for each country.

Customers looking for personal screening options can also visit Personal Background Check Online.

For more information about privacy and data handling, visit the Global Background Screening Privacy Policy

FAQs About Civil Lawsuits and Background Checks

Do civil lawsuits show up on employment background checks?

Civil lawsuits usually do not show up on a standard employment background check unless the employer orders a civil records search, county civil search, federal civil search, or specialized due diligence search.

Is a civil lawsuit the same as a criminal record?

No. A civil lawsuit is usually a dispute between private parties, businesses, landlords, tenants, creditors, vendors, or other parties. A criminal record involves alleged violations of criminal law.

Can employers search civil court records?

Yes, employers may search civil court records when appropriate for the position and permissible purpose. Employment screening must follow the FCRA and any applicable state or local laws.

Does Global Background Screening report dismissed civil lawsuits?

For FCRA-compliant employment screening, Global Background Screening does not report dismissed civil lawsuits or lawsuits resolved in favor of the applicant. Civil reporting focuses on adverse civil lawsuits where the applicant is listed as a defendant, where legally reportable and appropriate.

How much does a civil background check cost?

Global Background Screening’s USA National Civil Search is available for $31.50. Federal Civil searches are available as an add-on for $6. International civil search pricing varies by country and is listed at checkout.

Are international civil searches available?

Yes. Global Background Screening offers international civil searches in many countries where criminal searches are available. Pricing and estimated turnaround times are listed in the International Services & Right-to-Work Checkout Portal.

Where can I order a civil background check?

U.S. civil searches can be ordered through the USA Background Screening Checkout Portal. International civil searches can be ordered through the International Services & Right-to-Work Checkout Portal