Augusta County Court Records

Augusta County court records refer to all documents, files, or records created or generated during court proceedings in Augusta County courts. These records are typically produced throughout the course of legal matters, from filings to hearings and decisions. They include but are not limited to, warrants, exhibits, pleadings, summonses, transcripts, docket sheets, appeals, dispositions, and decrees.

Augusta County court records are public and serve as legal references. They ensure public accountability by allowing the public to monitor court activities and decisions and provide a historical record of legal matters and decisions within the county.

Are Court Records Public in Augusta County?

Yes. Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA), Augusta County court records are public records accessible to interested citizens and residents of the county (and beyond). This includes all civil, criminal, probate, and family case records from the circuit court, general district court, and juvenile and domestic relations court in Augusta County.

However, not all court records are subject to public disclosure in Augusta County. Per Virginia Code § 16.1-305 and Virginia Code § 2.2-3706, certain court records are restricted from public disclosure by law or court orders, and they include the following:

• Juvenile criminal court records
• Court records related to ongoing criminal investigations
• Court records that could disclose a witness's identity
• Court documents or files that reveal the identities of sexual assault victims
• Records related to public safety
• Documents containing health or social service information
• Sealed or expunged records
• Records containing trade secrets or confidential business information
• Mental health records.

Augusta County Court Records Search

Individuals seeking to conduct searches for Augusta County court records may do so via any of the following options:

• In-person or mail requests to the clerk of the originating courthouse
• Searches on the Circuit Court Case Information System
• Searches on the General District Court Case Information System
• Searches on online third-party aggregate platforms.

Augusta County Courts

Augusta County courts include the Augusta County Circuit Court, Augusta County General District Court, and the Augusta County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court. The circuit court handles various matters, including civil, criminal, probate, domestic relations, and juvenile cases. The general district court deals with traffic violations, misdemeanors, preliminary hearings for felonies, and civil cases involving smaller amounts ($4,500 - $25,000). Meanwhile, the juvenile and domestic relations court adjudicates matters involving juveniles (such as delinquency, status offenses, and child abuse or neglect) and family law cases.

The contact information for Augusta County courts is as follows:

Augusta County Circuit Court (25th Judicial Circuit)
Augusta County Courthouse
1 East Johnson Street
P.O. Box 689
Staunton, VA 24401-4302
Phone: (540) 245-5321
Fax: (540) 245-5318

Augusta County General District Court (25th Judicial District)
6 East Johnson Street
Second Floor
Staunton, VA 24401-4398
Phone: (540) 245-5300
Fax: (540) 245-5365

Augusta County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court
6 East Johnson Street
1st Floor
Staunton, VA 24401-4303
Phone: (540) 245-5306
Fax: (540) 245-5349

Augusta County Criminal Records

Individuals seeking to obtain arrest, inmate, and local criminal information records in Augusta County should contact the Augusta County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff's Office is responsible for preparing and maintaining crime-related information in the county. Therefore, individuals may contact the office in person, by phone, by fax, or by e-mail to submit FOIA requests for Augusta County arrests and other local criminal records information from the Sheriff's Office.

Augusta County Sheriff's Office
127 Lee Hwy, P.O. Box 860
Verona, VA 24482
Phone: (540) 245-5333
Fax: (540) 245-5330
Email: acso@co.augusta.va.us

Alternatively, individuals may obtain Augusta County criminal records from the Virginia State Police (VSP). The VSP, through the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE), is the official custodian of criminal history records in Virginia. The VSP collects, stores, and dispenses criminal record information from all law enforcement agencies in the state, including those from Augusta County. To obtain these records from the VSP, individuals should submit a completed and notarized SP-167 request form by mail to the VSP at:

Virginia State Police
Civil & Applicant Records Exchange (CARE)
7700 Midlothian Turnpike
North Chesterfield, VA 23235.

Entities such as employers and agencies who want to obtain Augusta County criminal records from the VSP may complete and submit the SP-230 form to the VSP at the mailing address above. A fee of $15.00 applies for every criminal record request to the VSP.

Get Augusta County Civil Court Records

Augusta County civil court records are records of civil cases adjudicated in the Augusta County Circuit Court and the Augusta General District Court. They include contract disputes, property disputes, and personal injury lawsuits. The courthouse clerk where a civil matter was filed is the custodian of the records for such a matter.

To obtain Augusta County civil court records, interested parties should direct their requests in person or in writing to the Circuit Court Clerk for records of matters handled in the Circuit Court and to the General District Court Clerk for those matters handled in the Augusta General District Court.

Circuit Court Clerk
1 East Johnson Street
Staunton, VA 24401
Email: rlandes@vacourts.gov
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 689
Staunton, VA 24402

General District Court Clerk
6 East Johnson Street
1st Floor
Staunton, VA 24401-4303
Email: CBailey@vacourts.gov.

Alternatively, interested parties can use the "Circuit Court Case Information" or "General District Court Case Information" systems to access civil cases adjudicated in the circuit and district courts by locality. They can search for cases by name, case number, or hearing date.

Augusta County Marriage Records

Augusta County marriage records since 1936 are available upon request from the Virginia Department of Health's Division of Vital Records. However, only the individual named on the record, their family members, or their legal representatives can request marriage records. To request a copy of an Augusta County marriage record, eligible persons should submit a completed "Application for Certification of a Marriage and/or Divorce Record" form in person or by mail to the Office of Vital Records.

Office of Vital Records
2001 Maywill Street
Suite 101
Richmond, VA 23230.

Mailing Address:
VDH Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000.

Per the Code of Virginia, the Office of Vital Records charges $12.00 per marriage certificate. Alternatively, requests may be submitted to the Augusta County Circuit Clerk's Office for marriage records in the county.

Circuit Court Clerk
1 East Johnson Street
P.O. Box 689
Staunton, VA 24401-24402
Phone: (540) 245-5321

Augusta County Divorce Records

Individuals can obtain Augusta County divorce records from the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Alternatively, they may obtain divorce records from 1918 to date from the Office of Vital Records in Virginia by submitting a completed "Application for Certification of a Marriage and/or Divorce Record" form in person or by mail to the office.

Office of Vital Records
2001 Maywill Street
Suite 101
Richmond, VA 23230

Mailing Address:
VDH Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000.

A fee of $12 is charged for each copy of a divorce certificate requested. Eligible persons include the individual named on the record, their family members, or their legal representatives. Every request must be accompanied by a valid photo ID (Driver's License, Military ID, Passport, or any other government-issued ID that includes the requester's name and photo).

Augusta Birth and Death Records

The Virginia Department of Health's Office of Vital Records maintains birth and death records for Augusta County. The record subject and their immediate family members, such as parents, spouses, children, siblings, and grandparents, can request copies of these records at $12 per certificate.

To request a copy of a birth or death record, complete the "Application for Certification of a Birth Record" or "Application for Certification of a Death Record" and submit it in person or by mail to the Office of Vital Records.

Office of Vital Records
2001 Maywill Street
Suite 101
Richmond, VA 23230.

Mailing Address:
VDH, Office of Vital Records
P.O. Box 1000
Richmond, VA 23218-1000.

Augusta County birth and death records are vital records and they serve different purposes. While a birth record documents the details of a person's birth, such as date, time, and place of birth, as well as parentage, a death record provides information about the date, time, and cause of death.

Augusta County Probate Court Records

The Augusta County Circuit Clerk is the custodian of probate court records since probate matters such as will and estate disputes, guardianship, and trust cases are heard in the Augusta County Circuit Court. Interested parties who wish to obtain court documents or case files for these cases in the county should submit in-person or written requests to the Circuit Court Clerk.

Circuit Court Clerk
1 East Johnson Street
Staunton, VA 24401
Phone: (540) 245-5321
Email: rlandes@vacourts.gov.

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 689
Staunton, VA 24402.

Alternatively, they may use the "Circuit Court Case Information" portal to search for probate cases adjudicated in the Augusta County Circuit Court by name, case number, or hearing date.

Augusta County Property Records

The Circuit Court Clerk's Office is the custodian of property and land records in Augusta County. The land record division of the clerk's office handles the recording and maintenance of all land records, deeds, and related documents. To lookup or obtain these records in Augusta County, interested individuals should contact the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. This may be done in-person or by mail.

Augusta County Circuit Court Clerk
1 East Johnson Street
Staunton, VA 24401
Phone: (540) 245-5320

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 689
Staunton, VA 24402.

Alternatively, after fulfilling the requirements, individuals may access Augusta County property records online via the clerk's office Secure Remote Access (SRA). They may also use the county assessor's "Real Estate Records" portal to search for and find Augusta County property records, ownership, and assessment information.

Augusta County Court Records Online

The public can use third-party sites like Virginiacourtrecords.us to look up and access Augusta County court records online. These third-party websites compile court records from various courts across Virginia and provide user-friendly, searchable databases through which individuals can search for cases with details such as party names, case numbers, dates, and locations (counties).

While most third-party sites are free and allow users to view and download court documents, some may charge minimal fees for access to detailed court records. However, these sites may contain outdated, limited, or inaccurate information as they are not affiliated with any government agency or official repository.