Title Firm’s Investigative Arms Grow

First American Corp., which operates the nation’s second-largest title insurer, said Tuesday that it has created a company to pull criminal records from courthouse files and sell background reports over the Internet at $40 each.

The Santa Ana business and real estate services company said in a press release that its HireCheck Inc. subsidiary formed PartnerCheck for consumers who need background information on “a roommate, friend, fiance, coach or any other individual in a nonemployment-related relationship.”

First American’s HireCheck set up its www.partnercheck.com Web site to offer the service online.

HireCheck, based in St. Petersburg, Fla., provides employment-screening services, including background checks and drug screening, to employers across the nation.