Virginia Court Records
How Virginia's courts are organized, where their records are kept and how to search them.
Virginia's courts are organized by city and county, and the state is unusual in having independent cities that are not part of any county, each with its own courts. Despite that, most circuit and district courts share statewide case systems, and the public can search them for free.
A few large circuit courts, notably Fairfax County, run their own systems.
Virginia's court system is also split between circuit courts, which keep their records in the clerk's office of each city or county, and district courts, which are state-run. The Online Case Information System 2.0 combines both for most localities, making it one of the more useful free statewide searches in the country.
How Virginia's courts are organized
Virginia has two appellate courts and several kinds of trial courts.
Supreme Court of Virginia
Seven justices hear appeals they choose to review.
Court of Appeals of Virginia
Since 2022, it hears appeals of right in most civil and criminal cases.
Circuit courts
The general jurisdiction trial courts, hearing felonies, larger civil cases, divorce and appeals from district courts. The circuit court clerk also keeps land records and wills.
General district courts
Hear misdemeanors, traffic, preliminary hearings, small claims, evictions and smaller civil cases.
Juvenile and domestic relations district courts
Hear juvenile cases, custody, support and family abuse cases.
Searching Virginia court records online
Virginia's Online Case Information System covers most courts.
- Online Case Information System 2.0Free statewide search of circuit and district court cases (except a few circuit courts that run their own systems).
- Virginia's Judicial SystemOpinions, court directories, forms and self-help.
Getting records from the clerk's office
Contact the clerk of the circuit court or district court where the case was filed. Clerks provide copies and certified copies for set fees.
The circuit court clerk also keeps deeds, wills and marriage licenses.
Circuit court clerks in Virginia are elected and keep a wide range of records beyond court cases, including deeds, wills and marriage licenses. Many offer remote access to land records and some court records through subscriptions.
- Virginia court directoryFind courts and clerks in every city and county.
What is public, and what is not
Most Virginia court records are public, but juvenile, adoption and mental health records are confidential.
Virginia allows expungement of records where charges were dismissed or the defendant was acquitted. A newer law provides for sealing of many convictions, including automatic sealing of some records.
Virginia's court records are generally public, but juvenile, adoption and mental health records are confidential. Virginia's new record sealing law allows many convictions to be sealed automatically or by petition, which removes them from public view.
- Virginia Law HelpFree information about sealing and expungement.
Older and archived records
The Library of Virginia holds an extensive collection of historical court records, including chancery causes and wills from many localities.
The Library of Virginia's Chancery Records Index and digitized court records collection give free online access to many historical circuit court records.
- Library of VirginiaHistorical state and local records, including court records.
Criminal history and background records
A court file tells you what happened in one case in one court. A criminal history record (often called a rap sheet) pulls together arrests, charges and outcomes reported from across the state, so it is a different product kept by a different agency.
The Virginia State Police keeps the state's criminal history records. Checks generally require the subject's consent.
- Virginia State Police criminal recordsHow to request a Virginia criminal history record.
- Virginia sex offender registryPublic search of registered sex offenders.
- Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locatorFind people in Virginia state custody.
Federal court records in Virginia
Federal cases, including federal crimes, bankruptcies, and lawsuits over federal law or between citizens of different states, are not filed in Virginia's state courts. Virginia is divided into 2 federal judicial districts, and each has its own clerk's office:
Federal case files are searched through PACER, the federal judiciary's records system. PACER charges a small fee per page, but you pay nothing if your charges stay under the quarterly fee-waiver threshold, court opinions are free, and every federal courthouse has public terminals you can use at no cost. Many PACER documents have also been copied into the free RECAP Archive on CourtListener. Appeals from Virginia's federal courts go to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Tips for a faster search
- Independent cities, such as Richmond and Virginia Beach, have their own courts separate from nearby counties.
- If a circuit court is not in the statewide system, check its own website.
- Sealed and expunged records will not appear in public searches.
- If you can't find a case in OCIS, check whether the circuit court runs its own system, such as Fairfax County's.
- Have the full names of the parties, the county and a rough date range ready. A case number is the fastest way in if you have one.
- Online indexes are not the official record. If a decision depends on it, get a copy (or a certified copy) from the clerk's office that holds the file.
Legal help and law libraries
Clerks and law librarians can explain how to find a record, but they cannot give legal advice. These organizations can point you in the right direction:
- Virginia State Law LibraryPublic law library in Richmond.
- Virginia Law HelpFree legal information and help finding legal aid.
This guide is general information about public records, not legal advice. Court websites, fees and rules change, so confirm details with the court before you rely on them. Civics-Online.org is not affiliated with any court or government agency.