You can also search the full text of SEC filings in the past four years (for example, to find references to one company in another company`s filings). For more search options, visit the SEC Edgar main search page. In some states, including Arizona, regulations can be downloaded for free by anyone. In states where these documents are not uploaded online, individuals can access them in person or by mail for a small filing fee. The company index has a file number to receive a company`s last annual corporate report. Most local governments require a business license from anyone who opens a business in their jurisdiction. If the business you are looking for uses a name other than the owner`s, it must file a “Do Business As” statement showing the owner`s real name. All real estate that the company buys or sells is registered in the county commercial register. Lawsuits against the company can be found in the records of the county court clerk.
In most counties, much of this information is online. However, if you are looking for older records, you may need to review the paper reports in the district court. 2. Minutes of the meeting. Most states also require companies to document what happens at large meetings. They shall keep an official record of what has been done or discussed at official meetings, including decisions taken or actions taken. They can help resolve a dispute about what happened or didn`t happen in a past meeting. The index shows the address of the person or company. For company lists, the index usually also contains the name of the owner(s) of each company. Before searching the various public records databases about companies, it is important to gather as much basic knowledge about the company as possible. The SEC requires each company to file many different forms.
The main forms are: 5. Employment contract. This contract sets out the obligations and expectations of the company and the employee in order to minimize future litigation. Not all hires require an employment contract, but the document can be useful if you want to discourage some new employees from leaving your company too early, revealing confidential information about your company, or working for a competitor. The contract must be reviewed by an experienced employment lawyer before being handed over to an employee for signature. If a company called Fast Food Inc. opens a restaurant called Delightful Dinners, the law requires Fast Food Inc. to file a fictitious company name declaration for Delightful Dinners stating that Fast Food Inc.
actually owns the company. You can also search the Federal and State Intellectual Property Database for business applications. These documents include patent, trademark and copyright registration documents. This information is available from the U.S. and U.S. Copyright Office. Patent and Trademark Office. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requires a constant flow of information from publicly traded companies.
This includes registration for stock offerings, quarterly and annual reports, bankruptcies, financial statements, insider trading fees and litigation. This type of information can be useful if you are interested in becoming a supplier for a particular company. In other cases, the record may contain additional documents, including more detailed information about the Company, correspondence about the Company with the California Department of Business Oversight, or letters of complaint to the California Department of Business Oversight regarding the Company. In rare cases, there may be information about the persons or companies to whom the securities were issued. 8. Online Terms of Use. While not required by law, any business with a website should include its terms of service. These sites may limit your liability in cases where your own content, as well as the information contained in the hyperlinks on your website, contains errors.
In addition, your terms should let visitors know what they can and can`t do on your site, especially in cases where visitors can comment on blogs or share their own content. These are not companies that trade on public exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ. Rather, they are private corporations, often partnerships or small businesses, that have issued securities that other individuals or corporations may acquire through private transactions. 3. Operating agreement for LLCs. While not required in most states, an operating agreement is recommended for each LLC, especially if multiple members are involved. This document describes the financial and functional decisions of an LLC. When there is more than one member, it becomes all the more important to define the importance of business decisions, the distribution of profits and losses, the rights and obligations of members and what happens if someone wants to get out of business. Once members sign the document, it becomes an official and binding contract.
Some directories are available as online databases that can be searched by a company name. Online directories usually contain only very basic information, such as the city where the company is based, Directories include: Each state has an office, usually the Secretary of State, where you can find a list of a company`s creditors filed under the Uniform Commercial Code, which applies in all 50 states. An authentic instrument is a document issued by a public official in the exercise of his or her functions, within the scope of his or her powers and in accordance with legal requirements. With the exception of records, which are expressly reserved by law, any public document may be consulted by anyone. Public documents have probative value in themselves, without the opposing party having to acknowledge them. As long as the contrary is not proven by a false accusation, the public document is considered authentic. Look for a link to Investors or Investor Relations on a company`s website to find SEC filings. Companies with more than $10 million in assets and more than 500 shareholders must file regular reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These are usually publicly traded companies that issue shares traded on one of the national stock exchanges such as the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ. Filing ranges from simple lists of a company`s address and CEO to detailed documents that publicly traded companies must file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
However, if for any reason this document is not available to the company you have ordered, you will be informed and there will be no charge. So always start by running the company name through a web search engine like Google to see what information is available about it. You can find a homepage for the business, an entry in an online yellow pages guide, or simply references to the business on other websites. Type the name of a company into the search box and it will search the headers of SEC filings to get a list of available electronic reports on the company. Some states, such as Illinois, require your articles to include the names of all board members, but this is not required in other states. Shareholders are not included and this information should not be shared publicly. Shareholders are generally permitted to consult the company`s records, including shareholder lists and minutes of meetings. If the company does not allow a shareholder to do so, it could be fined. As these records do not come from the authorities, they must be checked if necessary. For example, a notary can be consulted or the author`s signature can be verified. Whether there are business or personal documents, they should be securely archived if important information is included. It is not sufficient that it is a movable object to obtain the legal effects for which it was created.
It must also meet the requirements of the legal system for each type. Due to the unique guarantees that must be followed for its creation, the public document is undoubtedly the fundamental basis for the security of legal traffic. And although various purposes have been attributed to the legitimate instrument in the past, its evidentiary function is the most important and intriguing. In addition, a distinction is made between other types of public documents: a city often requires every person or company doing business in the city to obtain a business license and pay fees such as a business tax. The SEC maintains a computerized alphabetical index of all publicly traded companies and the reports they file. However, much more comprehensive information on publicly traded companies is available from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and its online database, Edgar. Knowing where a business is located can help you determine which local or state agencies may have records of it. Or if the type of business the company is involved in is government-regulated, you know you need to check an online database with a specific business regulatory or licensing authority.