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Beyond the First Surname: Why Your Puerto Rico Background Checks are Likely Incomplete
This document is designed for formal submission to a background investigator and can be repurposed for a professional LinkedIn summary. It outlines the specific technical logic required to navigate the SUMAC system, ensuring a standard of "due diligence" that accounts for Puerto Rico’s unique naming conventions and clerical standards.
Standard Operating Procedure: Puerto Rico Judicial Search (SUMAC)
Subject: Technical Protocols for Name Searches and Data Entry
System: Rama Judicial — Sistema Unificado de Manejo y Administración de Casos (SUMAC)
1. Data Entry: The "Three-Field" Normalization Rule
In accordance with OAT (Oficina de Administración de los Tribunales) standards, all parties must be registered using a specific alphanumeric sequence. This prevents duplicate records and ensures the "searchability" of individuals with multiple surnames.
| Field Name | Description / Requirement | System Example |
| Nombre(s) | Legal first and middle names/initials. | Juan Alberto |
| Primer Apellido | Paternal Surname (Primary). | Rivera |
| Segundo Apellido | Maternal Surname (Secondary). | Cruz |
| Entidad | Reserved for Corporate/Government entities. | Pueblo de PR |
Formatting Constraints:
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Special Characters: Historically, clerks were trained to avoid accents (tildes) or "ñ" in legacy search fields to prevent indexing errors. Modern SUMAC systems are more flexible, but "Clean Text" searches (omitting accents) remain the investigator's best practice.
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Suffixes: Generational markers (Jr., Sr., Hijo) are handled in a dedicated suffix field or appended to the Second Surname, never the first.
2. Advanced Search Mechanics
Because the system is "fuzzy" (string-based), investigators must use clerical strategies to find "hidden" or archived records.
A. The Wildcard Strategy
If the spelling is in question (e.g., Vázquez vs. Vásquez), clerks use the 4-Letter String method:
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Input:
Vazq(Surname) +Juan(First Name). -
Goal: Captures all phonetic and orthographic variations of the name.
B. The "Double Surname" Filter
In high-density regions like San Juan, searching by a single surname (e.g., "Rivera") will often exceed system limits or time out.
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Protocol: Investigators must enter both surnames to isolate the specific individual and bypass "General Search" latency.
C. Entity Search Standards
Clerks omit articles and suffixes when searching for businesses.
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Correct:
Walmart -
Incorrect:
The Walmart Puerto Rico, Inc.
3. Verification & "Cotejo" (Identity Validation)
Before concluding a search, the investigator should mimic the clerk's Cotejo de Identidad (Identity Check):
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RUA Linkage: If the subject is an attorney, their record must be verified against their RUA number (Master Roll of Attorneys).
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Homónimo Check: If a result appears, the system triggers a duplicate check. Investigators must cross-reference the Causa de Acción (Case Code) to ensure the hit is for the correct individual (e.g., distinguishing a civil tort from a family court matter).
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