Alexandria County Court Records

Virginia Code § 17.1-292 defines a Virginia court record as any document maintained by court clerks in connection with a civil, traffic, or criminal proceeding. Alexandria County court records may contain information such as case number, party name, party address, DOB, case status, and other information such as charge information, and disposition information.

These court records may be preserved or disseminated in formal written, or digital copies. The Clerk of Court is primarily tasked with the management and dissemination of court records for the circuit and district courts in Alexandria County.

Court documents are the most fundamental resource for learning about Alexandria County's history. These records reflect the daily operations of the courts within the county. They keep accurate records of what happens during a court process and help to guarantee that legal procedures are just and equitable.

Are Court Records Public in Alexandria County?

Yes. According to the Virginia Code § 17.1-208B, records maintained by the circuit court clerks are free to be examined in the clerk's office. Except the law says otherwise, the clerk is required to release copies of such records to interested individuals. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), § 2.2-3700 et seq. of the Code of Virginia, enables citizens to have prompt access to public records in the custody of a governmental organization or its officers and employees.

However, some court records can not be accessed by members of the public, including sealed, expunged, or confidential records. Others include juvenile court records, social, medical, psychiatric, or psychological records, and adoption records. Access to these records is only limited to authorized individuals such as the judge, probation officers, and professional staff assigned to the court case.

Alexandria County Court Records Search

Interested persons who wish to conduct an Alexandria County court record search may access such records through the following methods

• Alexandria Justice Information System
• The General District Court Online Case Information System
• The courthouse where the case was filed
• The relevant court clerk's office.
• A third-party website

Alexandria County Court Records Search by Name

Members of the public who desire to perform a court record search by name in Alexandria County must ensure that the first and last name of the case party, or business name is readily available. Name-based searches may be carried out online or via phone.

To conduct a name-based court record search online, interested persons may utilize the following online platforms

• The Alexandria Justice Information System (AJIS): To perform a court record search by name, click on “Page Menu”. For civil cases, click on “Civil Name Search and List” input the business name or the first and last name of the relevant party, and click on “Search”. For criminal cases, click on “Criminal Case Search and List”, input the party or business name, and click on “Search”.
• The General District Court Online Case Information System: To begin a name-based court record search, select “Alexandria General District Court” from the drop-down menu to the left. For criminal court records, click on “Name Search” under the “Traffic/Criminal” heading, input the first and last name of the relevant party, and click on “Search”. For Civil court records, click on “Name Search” under the “Civil” heading, input the relevant party's first and last name, and click on “Search”.

Interested persons who wish to retrieve court records may also contact the Clerk of Circuit Court by phone at (703) 746-4044 or in person. Information concerning a case status can be obtained during working hours, Monday to Friday.

Alexandria County Courts

The Circuit Court, the General District Court, and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court serve Alexandria County residents. The Circuit Court is the general trial court that hears a wide variety of civil and criminal cases. The General District Court has jurisdiction over all misdemeanors and some civil cases. The Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court provides services, programs, and interventions to juveniles, adults, and families. Below are the addresses of all Alexandria County Courts:

Alexandria Circuit Court
Courthouse, 520 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 746-4044

Alexandria General District Court
520 King Street, Second Floor
P.O. Box 320489
Alexandria, VA 22320-4489
Phone: (703) 746-4021 (Civil)
Phone: (703) 746-4030 (Criminal)
Phone: (703) 746-4041 (Traffic)

Alexandria Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
520 King Street, 1st floor
Alexandria, VA 22314-2334
Phone: (703) 746-4141
Fax: (703) 838-4092

U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
Albert V. Bryan United States Courthouse
401 Courthouse Square
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 299-2100

U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia
U.S. Bankruptcy Court
200 South Washington Street,
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: (703) 258-1200

Alexandria County Superior Court Case Search

In Alexandria County, the Circuit Court acts as the trial court with the broadest jurisdiction. It handles claims above $25,000, and it has concurrent jurisdiction with the general district court to hear cases involving claims between $4,500 to $25,000. The circuit court also manages civil lawsuits involving up to $50,000 in damages for wrongful death and personal harm as well as felonies, which are serious criminal charges. Divorce and other family-related cases are also handled by the circuit court. The circuit court also considers appeals from the juvenile and domestic relations district courts including those from the general district court.

To access Circuit Court case information in Alexandria County, interested persons may contact the court via phone at (703) 746-4044 during working hours, Monday to Friday. Alternatively, record seekers may utilize the Alexandria Justice Information System online tool to view court case information. Judgment, civil, and criminal court case information can be obtained via this tool.

• Judgments: To view Circuit Court judgments, click on “Page Menu”. Click on “Judgment Search and List”, and fill in the required information such as party or business name, docket date, judgment date, etc. Click on “Search”.
• Civil Cases: To view civil case information, click on “Page Menu”. Under the “Civil- General Access” heading, Click on either “Civil Name Search and List” or “Civil Case Search and List”. Fill in the required information and click on “Search”.
• Criminal Cases: To view criminal case information, click on “Page Menu”. Under the “Criminal- General Access” heading, click on “Criminal Case Search and List”. Fill in the required information and click on “Search”.

Alexandria County District Court Records

The General District Court has primary and exclusive authority to preside over civil cases involving claims around $4,500 or less. The court also has primary jurisdiction over misdemeanor cases with fines up to $2,500, sentences up to twelve months in jail, or both. The General District Court shares authority with the 18th Circuit Court where cases with claims including $4,500 but not exceeding $25,000 are filed. Examples of civil court cases include contract disputes, debt lawsuits, and landlord-tenant conflicts.

To obtain civil case information, interested persons may contact the Clerk of Circuit Court, Mondays to Fridays, during working hours via phone calls. Alternatively, the General District Court Online Case Information System, which offers online access to civil, criminal, and traffic cases in the general district courts, is another resource record seekers can use to locate court documents. Armed with the required information, cases may be searched using name, case number, or hearing date.

Alexandria County Criminal Records

The Alexandria Police Department provides the general public with a Crime Database Search online tool. To retrieve crime reports, interested persons need to provide the desired date range, block range, street, offense categorization, and disposition. Criminal records are identified by their case number.

Certain details from Alexandria county arrest records and crime reports, like the names of the victims, addresses, and motives, may be confidential and inaccessible to the general public.

Residents may also conduct a criminal background change through the Virginia State Police. Obtaining a criminal record from the VSP may require a fee of $15. Requests may be made in person or by mail.

Alexandria County Criminal Court Case Lookup

To conduct an Alexandria County criminal court case lookup, visit the Alexandria Justice Information System,

• Click on “Page Menu”
• Under the Criminal- General Access option, choose “Criminal Case Search & List”.
• Fill in the required information and click on Search.

Alternatively, one can visit the Virginia General District Case Information System online tool.

• Select “Alexandria General District Court” from the drop-down menu to the left. Under the traffic/criminal heading, search criteria include Name Search, Case Number Search, Hearing Date Search, and Service/Process Search.
• Fill in the required information based on the search criteria and click on “Search”

Members of the public may also visit the courthouse where the criminal case was filed in person, or contact the Clerk of Circuit Court via phone for criminal case information.

Get Alexandria County Civil Court Records

Interested persons may visit the courthouse where the case was filed in person to get civil records in Alexandria County. Furthermore, record seekers may contact the Clerk of Circuit Court via phone, Mondays to Fridays, during working hours to obtain civil court case information.

Alternatively, individuals may look up civil cases remotely via online portals provided by the county and state.

The county provides the general public with civil case information through the AJIS online portal. To access civil court case information, searches can be carried out under the Civil- General Access heading.

• Civil Name Search & List: This may be utilized by individuals who wish to conduct a civil court case information search by name. To search, fill in the required business or relevant party name and other available information. Click on “Search”
• Civil Case Search & List: This option is available to individuals who wish to search by other criteria such as case, initial date, and case action. To search, fill in the required information and click on Search

Alternatively, the Virginia General District Case Information System provides civil court case information to interested persons. Select “Alexandria General District Court” from the drop-down menu to the left. Under the civil heading, choose any of the search criteria which includes Name Search, Case Number Search, Hearing Date Search, and Service/Process Search. Fill in the required information and click on Search.

Alexandria County Family Court Records

Family court records in Alexandria County are maintained by the Circuit Court. Family court cases handled by the circuit court include custody, support, visitation, abuse, accusations of child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and other family relations matters. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts also handle various family-related concerns such as custody, support, and visitation. It also hears family abuse cases, instances where adults have been accused of child abuse or neglect, and criminal cases in which the perpetrator and alleged victim are family or household members. Many family court records are considered confidential and can not be accessed by the general public. However, authorized persons and eligible individuals may have limited access to family court records.

Alexandria Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of marriage records in Alexandria are considered to be divorce records. Eligible persons may contact the Alexandria Health Department in person or via mail to obtain a dissolution of marriage record. Eligible persons may otherwise contact the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records for dissolution of marriage records.

Individuals seeking this record must provide a valid ID and pay the required fees.

Alexandria County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Alexandria Health Department provides in-person and mail-in assistance to individuals seeking to obtain copies of Virginia marriage and divorce records. Only eligible family members with a valid ID can get a copy of the record. Interested persons may call the Office of Vital Records at (703) 746.4991. Alternatively, one can contact the VDH Office of Vital Records for marriage and divorce records. Records can be obtained via express delivery, standard processing, and walk-in applications. Record seekers may also drop off a completed application for a marriage or divorce record at the front desk.

Divorce records from 1918, and marriage records from 1936 are considered public records and can be obtained at a publicly available independent database.

Alexandria Birth and Death Records

The Alexandria Health Department supports citizens to obtain copies of Virginia birth certificates and death certificates. Interested persons may conduct a birth or death record search in person inquiries or via mail. Certified copies of birth and death records are not open to the general public. Only eligible family members such as the mother, father, current legal spouse, son, daughter, brother, sister, or grandparent, may obtain such records. Eligible family members must provide a valid ID to obtain birth and death records.

Record seekers may also contact the Virginia Department of Health, Office of Vital Records to obtain a birth or death record. These records can be obtained via the following means

• Express Delivery: The VDH partners with an independent company to provide this service. A fee of $20.80 is required for this service, with an additional service charge of $11.95.
• Standard Processing: Paper applications through mail have a 4-week processing period. Online Applications have a Processing period of 2 weeks from the time they are completed and submitted.
• Walk-in Applications: The Office of Vital Records customer service lobby situated at 2001 Maywill Street, Suite 101 Richmond, Virginia 23230, is open for walk-in clients from Monday - Friday 7:00 am to 4:30 pm. An online system is also available, enabling requesters to apply for, pay for, and receive updates on birth and death records.

An independent database, accessible to the public which contains birth and death records for Virginia from 1912 to the present may be utilized. A clear copy of an ID is required for anyone obtaining a vital record. Records of births and deaths are important to produce accurate, full, and timely vital statistics, which, along with population censuses, are central to determining population size.

Alexandria County Probate Court Records

Following Virginia Code § 64.2-444, the Clerk of the Circuit Court has the authority to probate a will, appoint executors or administrators, and appoint testamentary trustees. They can also appoint conservators and guardians for incapacitated adults, minors, and their estates. The Clerk's Office maintains documents relevant to wills, probate, and fiduciary proceedings. They include computerized indexes from August 1971 to the present, as well as printed indexes from 1800 to 1984. Interested persons may visit the Clerk's Office in person to obtain such probate records. Appointments may otherwise take place via remote video.

Alexandria County Property Records

The Office of Real Estate Assessments provides the general public with a Real Estate Assessment Search. Search criteria include Search by Address, Search by Account Number, and Search by Map Number. The information available in these records includes the name of the property owner, land value, building value, legal description of property, mailing address, assessment date, and others.

Interested persons may obtain land records from the Clerk of Circuit Court. The following records are available in the Clerk's Office

• Indexes that have been printed from December 1782 to October 1993, including records printed in books or on microfilm.
• Records between January 1785 and 1798, as well as records after January 1930. These are maintained in an automated Records Indexing System owned by the Supreme Court of Virginia, but available via a subscription-based online records system or in-person at the Clerk's Office.

Fees for in-person requests include $0.50 per page; and $2.00 for a certified copy. However, with a paid membership, record searchers can access land records held by the Office of Clerk of Circuit Court via the subscription-based website. For a fee of $500 per year or $50 per month, land records (deeds) with images dating back to Jan. 2, 1970, may be obtained by a subscriber. Subscribers are required to complete an application and provide a valid photo ID, and business license.

Alexandria County Court Records Online

Owners of third-party websites are independent businesses that compile and make public records easily accessible to the general public from various official sources, including courthouses. Interested persons may readily obtain court records from such websites in an often easier way than they retrieve records from government websites. Third-party websites, such as virginiacourtrecords.us enable users to comfortably access court records wherever they are. The first and last name of an individual is generally used to carry out such searches. While utilizing the database of these websites usually comes at no cost, in-depth record searches may require a one-time fee, monthly, or annual subscription.

Although third-party websites are known for timely and stress-free responses to record searches, they may not be entirely reliable. Because they mainly operate independently of any government website, information obtained from these websites may not be accurate. Record seekers may need to verify the reliability and accuracy of any information retrieved from third-party websites.