FAQ — Criminal Records Retrieval for Immigration Attorneys | Record Wranglers

Question 1

Who founded Record Wranglers?

Accepted Answer

Record Wranglers was co-founded by Stephanie McClure, Esq. and Rebecca Eagleson. Stephanie is a nationally recognized crimmigration authority with 20 years of experience as a criminal attorney and former prosecutor. She brings deep expertise in the intersection of criminal law and immigration law, the exact knowledge base required to understand what records immigration attorneys need, why certified court dispositions matter, and how criminal history affects immigration consequences. Rebecca is a proven global sales leader and executive who brings the operational and business infrastructure to deliver that expertise at scale. Together, they built Record Wranglers to solve a problem they saw firsthand: immigration attorneys and staff spending too much time on records logistics instead of doing the legal work that matters.

Question 2

What makes Record Wranglers different from a general public records service?

Accepted Answer

Most public records services are built for general consumers or private investigators. Record Wranglers was built specifically for immigration attorneys, by people who understand immigration law. Our co-founder Stephanie McClure, Esq. is a crimmigration authority, she knows what a removal defense attorney needs from a criminal record, how disposition language affects immigration consequences of criminal convictions, and what courts require for certified copies. That specialization is reflected in every part of our service, from the intake form to chain of custody protocols to the way we communicate about records status.

Question 3

What is Record Wranglers?

Accepted Answer

Record Wranglers is a specialized criminal records retrieval service built for immigration attorneys. We obtain certified court dispositions, criminal court records, background search reports, and sealed records, so your team can focus on legal strategy instead of chasing down old paperwork. Our service was founded by Stephanie McClure, Esq., a recognized crimmigration authority and 20-year criminal law veteran and former prosecutor, alongside Rebecca Eagleson, a proven global B2B sales leader and executive. We understand the high legal stakes of removal defense and the operational demands of a busy immigration practice.

Question 4

Who is Record Wranglers designed for?

Accepted Answer

We serve immigration attorneys and law firms of all sizes across the United States. Whether you are a solo practitioner or a large firm managing hundreds of clients, our flat-fee model and streamlined intake process are built to scale with your caseload. We are not a general public records service, every process is designed around the specific needs of immigration legal practice, including crimmigration cases and removal defense.

Question 5

What types of records can Record Wranglers obtain?

Accepted Answer

We retrieve Certified Court Dispositions, criminal court records, arrest records, police reports, incident reports, Judgments of Conviction, Certified Judgments of Conviction, background search reports, and more. Certified court dispositions are often the most critical document in a crimmigration or removal defense case, we know how to get them properly, with chain of custody intact. We also handle custom and sealed records requests. If you have a complex or unusual records need, submit a custom inquiry and our team will assess feasibility and provide a quote.

Question 6

Do you serve clients nationwide?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Record Wranglers retrieves records from jurisdictions across the United States. Our team has the experience and relationships to navigate federal, state, and local court systems on your behalf. If you have a question about a specific jurisdiction, contact us before placing your order.

Question 7

Do you get records from multiple jurisdictions?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we request records from all courts in the United States, all jurisdictions. Immigration attorneys handling clients with criminal history across multiple states or counties can submit a single order and we coordinate retrieval across every relevant jurisdiction.

Question 8

What is the typical turnaround time?

Accepted Answer

Turnaround time varies by jurisdiction. Some jurisdictions return records same day; others can take up to 30 days. If you have an urgent request, for example, an upcoming removal hearing, email us and we will get back to you quickly by phone or email to discuss options.

Question 9

Do you provide same-day service?

Accepted Answer

Yes! Please contact us about your expedited requests.

Question 10

Why should immigration attorneys outsource criminal records retrieval?

Accepted Answer

Obtaining criminal records is time-consuming, jurisdiction-specific, and often requires navigating court clerks, online portals, and release authorization workflows that vary from court to court, sometimes judge to judge. For immigration attorneys, the stakes are especially high: immigration courts and USCIS timelines are unforgiving, these days more than ever. Delegating criminal records retrieval to us means your team gets accurate, properly obtained records without diverting attorney or paralegal time from removal defense strategy, paperwork output, and client attention and care. Our co-founder Stephanie McClure, Esq. spent 20 years as a criminal attorney and former prosecutor before moving into the immigration space. She understands what you need and how to get it.

Question 11

How does outsourcing records retrieval save my firm money?

Accepted Answer

When a paralegal or attorney spends hours tracking down a court record instead of working a case, that time has a real cost, billable time diverted from client work, overhead absorbed by the firm, or worse, cases that stall and deadlines that slip. Record Wranglers charges flat fees with no hidden costs that are easily incorporated into your upfront client fees. A criminal records package starts at a predictable per-case rate, and a background search report is $35. Ideally, you know the cost before you sign your client, your client pays the expense as part of your fee, and you get the record without the administrative burden, freeing you and your staff to focus on the legal strategy that only you can provide.

Question 12

Is it ethical for immigration attorneys to use a third-party records retrieval service?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Using a records retrieval service is a well-established practice in legal support services, similar to using a process server, court filing service, or legal research vendor. Record Wranglers obtains records through proper legal channels using signed release authorizations where required. The attorney of record remains responsible for reviewing and using the records in the representation, we handle the retrieval logistics. Record Wranglers is particularly attorney-friendly because its operation was established by an attorney. She knows your obligations and how important they are to honor.

Question 13

How much does criminal records retrieval cost?

Accepted Answer

Our predictable flat-fee pricing allows immigration attorneys and law firms to include the cost of our service in their client fee or as an expected third-party expense. Most orders are essentially free to the lawyer for this reason. Criminal records are priced per case according to volume per client, see the New Records Request page for pricing information and the discount table is available on the How It Works page. A background search report is $35. Optional add-ons include Rush Order ($250) and Records Certification ($20). There are no hourly rates, no surprise invoices, and no per-page fees. Contact us to discuss volume pricing for your firm.

Question 14

Do you offer discounts for high-volume firms?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Immigration law firms with high retrieval volume should contact us at Support@RecordWranglers.com. We will respond within 24 business hours and can discuss pricing over email or schedule a brief Zoom session.

Question 15

How do I place an order with Record Wranglers?

Accepted Answer

Start at our New Record Request page. Select the type of records you need, enter the case number and jurisdiction for each criminal case, add any applicable add-ons, and complete checkout. You will create a secure client account during checkout. Once your order is submitted, our team begins retrieval and you can track status from your client dashboard.

Question 16

What information do I need to place a criminal records order?

Accepted Answer

For each criminal case, you will need the case number and the jurisdiction and court where the case was filed. If you do not have this, place a background search order first, those reports come in quickly so you will not lose time. For a background search report, you will need the subject's identifying information. Having this ready before you start your order will make the process faster. You should also be prepared to upload any relevant documents for our team to review. The more information we have upfront, the faster we can retrieve the records you need for your removal defense or crimmigration case. If you upload case identifying files or an FBI report, you'll receive $25.00 off the case order.

Question 17

How long does records retrieval take?

Accepted Answer

Same-day or next-day service may be available. In general, turnaround time varies by jurisdiction and record type. Standard orders are processed as quickly as the court or records source allows. If your matter is time-sensitive, such as an upcoming immigration court hearing, select the Rush Order add-on at checkout for prioritized handling and contact us about meeting your same-day or next-day requests.

Question 18

What is a release authorization form and do I need one?

Accepted Answer

Some jurisdictions require a signed release authorization from the subject of the records before they can be released to a third party. After you place your order, you will receive a General Records Release Authorization form to have your client sign. You can upload the signed form directly through your client dashboard. Not all jurisdictions require them, but some do, our team cannot retrieve records from those jurisdictions until the signed form is on file. Completing it upfront avoids delays later. We can email it right to your client by DocuSign if you wish.

Question 19

What happens if a record cannot be found or retrieved?

Accepted Answer

If our team is unable to locate or retrieve a record, we will contact you promptly to discuss next steps. For complex situations, sealed records, expunged records, or records from jurisdictions with restricted access, we recommend submitting a custom inquiry before placing a standard order so we can assess feasibility upfront. Refunds are not provided if the court confirms a proper search was conducted and the record was destroyed or cannot be located. In our experience, a certified response from a records custodian explaining the lack of record due to record retention policy has been generally and largely acceptable to requesting authorities.

Question 20

How does Record Wranglers protect client confidentiality?

Accepted Answer

All records and client information are stored in a secure, encrypted client vault. Access is restricted to authorized users on your account. We do not share client information or case details with third parties outside of what is necessary to retrieve the requested records.

Question 21

Can I handle sensitive or confidential circumstances through Record Wranglers?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We believe all criminal matters are sensitive. The order intake form includes a confidential circumstances field where you can provide up to 500 words of context about sensitive aspects of your client's situation. This information is handled with strict confidentiality and used only to ensure we retrieve the correct records with appropriate care. Important: Case documents may be uploaded as part of your record request; however, in no event shall any discovery document be uploaded if it contains images depicting children or child abuse of any kind. We do not expect this of our customers, but in our opinion, clear rules are needed on this serious topic. While no depictions should be shared of any kind, record requests pertaining to related matters are routinely filled without issue, just as any other conviction. If you have any questions about your client's serious matter, use our email or support phone available under the contact section to reach out.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Founders

What Record Wranglers Does

Why Outsource Records Retrieval

Pricing & Fees

The Process

Security & Confidentiality

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