Website Terms of Use

Website Terms of Use v1.5

Friar Genealogical Research, LLC
Last updated: October 27, 2026

    1. Acceptance of Terms

    These Terms of Use (“Terms”) apply to your use of friarresearch.com (the “Website”), which is operated by Friar Genealogical Research, LLC (“Friar Research,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Website.

    If you submit an inquiry through the Website’s contact form, checking the acknowledgment box and submitting the form confirms that you have read and agree to these Terms. By checking the box, you certify that you are at least 18 years old, as this site is not intended for individuals under the age of 18. Contacting us by email, phone, text, or other means outside the form does not create an engagement or contract. Services are provided only under a separate signed written agreement.

    These Terms are intended for private individuals, attorneys, and other professionals considering our services. These Terms do not bind or create legal obligations for government agencies or public officials; all services provided to government entities are governed strictly by separate, mutually executed written agreements.

    1. Scope of Use

    This Website provides public information about the forensic genealogy, probate research, and DNA analysis services of Friar Research, along with an inquiry form. Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, revocable, non-transferable license to view the Website for personal or professional informational purposes.

    • Website vs. Services. Browsing the Website or submitting an inquiry form does not create an engagement, contract, or investigative agreement. Services are governed only by a separate written agreement (for example, a Services Agreement or Statement of Work).
    • Geographic Scope. The services and content featured on this website are intended for and offered exclusively to clients residing within the United States.
    • No Transactions or Accounts. This Website does not process payments, retainers, or other financial transactions, and does not host user accounts, client portals, or log-ins. Any financial arrangements occur outside the Website.
    • Age. This Website is not intended for anyone under 18 years of age.
    • Prohibited Uses. You agree not to modify, distribute, transmit, or repost any text, graphics, ancestral charts, or case summaries for commercial distribution without our prior written consent.
    • No Scraping. You agree not to use automated tools, spiders, crawlers, scrapers, or data-mining scripts to extract content from the Website.
    • No AI Training. You agree not to scrape, harvest, extract, or process any text, ancestral charts, case summaries, or graphic assets from the Website to train or develop machine learning systems, artificial intelligence, algorithms, or large language models without separate written authorization from Friar Research.
    • No Unsolicited Solicitations. Publishing our email address and contact form does not give consent to receive unsolicited marketing. You agree not to use our contact details for automated commercial messages, cold-outreach sales pitches, SEO audits, or vendor marketing.
    1. Informational Purposes and No Professional Advice

    Content on this Website, including case summaries, descriptions of legal frameworks, methodology overviews, and blog posts, is provided for informational and marketing purposes only. It is not legal advice, a formal forensic conclusion, or an expert genealogical opinion, and you should not rely on it to make legal, estate, or investigative decisions. Friar Research is not a law firm, and no attorney-client relationship is created by your use of this Website or by contacting us.

    Friar Genealogical Research, LLC is not a law firm, and the information, tools, or services provided on this website do not constitute legal advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship. No attorney-client relationship is created by your use of this Website or by contacting us.

    1. Intellectual Property and Copyright

    All content, design, layouts, logos, case studies, and custom graphics on this Website are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. All rights are reserved by Friar Research. Unauthorized use of our materials ends your permission to use this Website and may subject you to legal liability.

    4.1 Copyright Concerns

    If you believe material on this Website infringes your copyright, please email Hello@friarresearch.com with: (a) a description of the work you believe is infringed; (b) the page or URL where the material appears; (c) your name and contact information; and (d) a statement that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on the owner’s behalf. We will review your message and respond as appropriate, which may include removing the material.

    1. Submissions, Inquiries, and Privacy

    This Website is an informational and lead-generation portal. Using it or submitting an inquiry does not create a professional or fiduciary relationship.

    • Separate Written Agreements. All forensic genealogy, probate research, and DNA analysis services, whether for private clients, attorneys, or government entities, are provided only under separate, fully executed written agreements.
    • Agreements Control. If these Terms conflict with a signed client agreement, the signed agreement controls.
    • Privacy Notice. Our Privacy Policy describes how we handle personal information collected through this Website. It is a notice of our practices and is not part of these Terms.

    5.1 Information You Send Us

    Please do not send DNA files, raw genetic data, sealed or confidential records, or sensitive case materials through the contact form or by email. Secure transfer methods will be arranged after a written agreement is signed. This Website does not host, process, or store DNA files or databases.

    If you choose to submit names, family tree details, or other information about other people in an inquiry, you confirm that you are permitted to share it, or that it is information you obtained lawfully. We will use what you send only as described in our Privacy Policy.

    Information sent outside the contact form, such as by email, is not covered by these Terms and does not create an engagement. Until a written agreement is signed, we cannot promise that anything you send will be kept confidential beyond what our Privacy Policy states.

    1. No Warranties (“As Is”)

    This Website and its content are provided “as is” and “as available.” Friar Research makes no warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the accuracy, completeness, currency, security, or reliability of the information here. Genealogical and forensic findings depend on the availability and accuracy of public records, historical data, and third-party databases, so past case examples do not guarantee future outcomes. We do not guarantee that the Website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or malware.

    Friar Research does not authorize any content on this Website that it did not publish. If you see content that appears unauthorized, harmful, or out of place, please email Hello@friarresearch.com so we can review and remove it.

    6.1 Unexpected Findings

    Genealogical and DNA-based research can reveal unexpected or sensitive information about families, including relationships a person did not know about. Friar Research cannot predict or control what records and genetic relationships will show. Any services are provided only under a separate written agreement, which addresses this risk in more detail.

    1. Limitation of Liability

    To the fullest extent permitted by law, Friar Research and its members, employees, and agents will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or punitive damages, or for any loss of data, profits, or opportunity, arising out of or related to your access to or use of this Website, including reliance on its content, interruptions, technical errors, or malware. This limitation applies even if we have been told such damages are possible.

    Our total liability for any claim arising out of your use of this Website will not exceed one hundred dollars ($100).

    Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law, including liability for fraud, gross negligence, or willful misconduct. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain limitations, so some of the above may not apply to you.

    This Section applies only to your use of this Website. It does not limit or replace any liability terms in a separate signed agreement for services, which control in the event of a conflict.

    1. Indemnification

    To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold harmless Friar Research and its members and agents from third-party claims, losses, and reasonable attorneys’ fees arising out of your violation of these Terms or your submission of information through the Website that you were not permitted to share. This Section does not apply to government entities or to officials acting in an official capacity.

    1. External and Third-Party Links

    The Website may link to public archives, historical databases, government records, or third-party platforms for your convenience. Friar Research does not control or endorse these sites and is not responsible for their content, accuracy, or privacy practices. You access them at your own risk.

    1. Governing Law and Venue

    This Website is operated from Connecticut. These Terms and any dispute arising out of or relating to your use of the Website are governed by the laws of the State of Connecticut, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. You agree that the state and federal courts located in Connecticut are the proper venue for any such dispute.

    1. Use Outside the United States

    This Website is operated from the United States and is intended for visitors located in the United States. Friar Research may accept engagements involving clients or records outside the United States on a case-by-case basis under a separate written agreement. If you access this Website from another country, you are responsible for complying with the local laws that apply to you, and information you submit will be processed in the United States. Nothing in these Terms limits rights you may have under mandatory laws of your own jurisdiction.

    1. Severability

    If any provision of these Terms is found to be unlawful, void, or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision will be severed and the remaining provisions will stay in effect.

    1. Entire Agreement

    These Terms are the entire agreement between you and Friar Research regarding your use of the Website and replace any prior communications about the Website. They do not replace or modify a separate signed agreement for services, which controls for those services.

    1. Changes to These Terms

    We may update the Website and these Terms from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a new version number and date. If you submit the contact form, the version of the Terms in effect at the time of submission applies to that submission. Your continued use of the Website after an update means you accept the revised Terms.

    1. Contact

    Friar Genealogical Research, LLC Southington, Connecticut, USA | By Appointment Only Call/Text: (203) 806-5226 Connecticut, USA Email: Hello@friarresearch.com