General Resources

Searching for Missing Parties

Internet Searches

You can use the following everyday resources to conduct a quick and easy search for missing parties:

  • telephone book or the white pages online ( (free)
  • internet searches, using Google, Yahoo, and similar search engines (free)
  • ZabaSearch ( (free)
  • Social Security Death Index ( (free)
  • Accurint.com, which charges a nominal fee
  • Westlaw and LexisNexis people finder databases (searches birth, marriage, death, and voter registration records)

You can also use a private investigator to find missing parties. VIP does not currently have a private investigator who can do this work for free. As a result, VIP recommends that volunteer attorneys ask an investigator that they regularly use in the course of business to donate either the investigator’s time or pay for the service. Alternatively, volunteer attorneys or their law firms may elect to “donate” to VIP an amount equivalent to the investigator’s charge for services, earmarked to pay for the investigator’s services. VIP will, in turn, then use the donation to pay the investigator. Also, the Tangled Title Fund can pay for the cost of a private investigator under certain circumstances.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests

Under the federal FOIA, you can request limited information pertaining to an individual’s address from the U.S. Postal Service. Specifically, the U.S. Postal Service will tell you whether the individual has filed a change of address (and if so, what his/her new address is) and/or whether the individual has moved and left no forwarding address. More information on FOIA requests can be found at

You should send the request form to the local U.S. Postal Service Postmaster for the city, state, and zip code of the address for which you are trying to obtain this information. (See Appendix for a sample request form.) You should also include a brief cover letter that requests that any potential fees involved be waived, due to the (legal) nature and intent of the request. (See § 4-2.3 of Handbook AS-353, Guide to Privacy and the Freedom of Information Act (Sept. 2005, updated Sept. 24, 2009), available at

Pursuant to § 4-3.7 of the Handbook, FOIA requests must be responded to within 20 working days.

Locating Individuals in Prison or on Probation or Parole

You can contact federal and state agencies to determine the location of individuals who are incarcerated or on probation or parole.

  • Federal Bureau of Prisons Inmate Locator
  • Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
  • Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole

(215) 560-2452

Agencies Not of Assistance in Locating Parties

For your information, in VIP’s past experience, the following agencies have refused to respond to requests for an individual’s address:

  • Philadelphia Office of Emergency Shelter Services
  • Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles
  • Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare (DPW)
  • U.S. Postal Service

Locating Individuals in the Military

Following is the contact information for various military branches, which can be used to locate individuals who have served in the military:

  • Air Force

Air Force Worldwide Locator, AFPC MSIMDL

550-C Street West, Suite 50

Randolph AFB, TX 78150-4752

  • Army

Army Worldwide Locator

U.S. Army Enlisted Records and EvaluationCenter

FortBenjaminHarrison, IN46249-5301

Attn: Personnel Actions Branch

  • Coast Guard

Coast Guard Locator Service (for active duty personnel)

(202) 493-1697

  • Marines

Marines Worldwide Locator

CMC MMSB-10, HQ USMC

2008 Elliot Road, Suite 201

Quantico, VA22134-5030

  • Navy

Navy Worldwide Locator

Navy Personnel Command

PERS-312F

5720 Integrity Drive

Millington, TN38055-3120

Note that, for information on active duty Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy personnel, a formal letter with a request for information must be sent. Following is an example of such a letter.

[DATE]

[MILITARY LOCATOR ADDRESS]

To Whom It May Concern:

I am an attorney representing a client pro bono through Philadelphia VIP, a non-profit legal services organization. I am searching for an absent [PARTY/DEFENDANT] in a property case that I am handling. The [PARTY’S/DEFENDANT’S] name is [NAME, a.k.a. ANY ALIASES]. [HIS/HER] social security number is [SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER], and [HIS/HER] date of birth is [DATE OF BIRTH].

I would greatly appreciate it if you could search your records to determine:

  • whether [HE/SHE] is a member of the United States [AIR FORCE/ ARMY/MARINES/NAVY]
  • whether [HE/SHE] has received notice of induction or notice to report for service in the United States [AIR FORCE/ARMY/MARINES/NAVY], or
  • whether [HE/SHE] is an officer of the Public Health Service detailed for duty with the United States [AIR FORCE/ARMY/MARINES/NAVY].

Philadelphia VIP is a non-profit organization principally supported by voluntary contributions. It does not charge for the legal services it provides to its clients whose limited means would otherwise prevent them from obtaining the services of an attorney. Therefore, I would request that you waive the fee normally charged for locator services.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at [ATTORNEY’S PHONE NUMBER].

Sincerely,

[ATTORNEY’S NAME], Esq.

Enclosure: self-addressed, stamped envelope

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