Our searches can either be based on a single keyword or you can use the tips below to refine your search to find more specific results.

• Look for a phrase.
  Example - type probate registry to find the exact phrase probate registry. Since the search is not case-sensitive, this is equivalent to Probate Registry.

   

• Look for two or more words at once by using the AND operator.
  Example - type probate AND registry to find documents that have both the word probate and the word registry anywhere.

   

• Look for words that are close to each other by using the NEAR operator instead of the AND operator. When you use NEAR, the closer together the words are, the higher the rank of the page, so the higher it appears in the list of search results.
  Example - type probate NEAR registry to match documents where the word probate is within 50 words of the word registry.

   

• Look for synonyms or similar words by using the OR operator. Note that if you don't use the OR operator and search using multiple words, the words are treated as a phrase.
  Example - type tax OR solicitor to find the word tax or the word solicitor, but not necessarily both.

   

• Limit your search by using the AND NOT operator to exclude words.
  Example - type surfing AND NOT the Internet to find all instances of surfing, as long as surfing is not followed by the phrase the Internet.

   

• Use double quotes if you want to use AND, OR, NOT, or NEAR literally.
  Example - type "churches near parks" to find documents with the phrase houses near parks. Without the double quotes, this query would use the NEAR operator instead of the phrase.

   

• Use a single asterisk (*) to look for words that begin with the same letters.
  Example - type key* to find key, keying, keyhole, keyboard, and so on.

   

• Use a double asterisk (**) to look for all forms of a word.
  Example - type fly** to match fly, flew, flown, and flying.