Prince Edward County Court Records

Official documents, such as dockets, judgments, petitions, orders, pleas, and exhibits filed and kept by the Clerk of Court constitute Prince Edward County court records. These documents are preserved as official case documentation for future reference and to aid public insight into legal matters. While court records exist in physical and digital formats, persons who obtain Prince Edward County court records can expect to find information about the parties involved in a case, the type of case, court dates, court rulings, party and witness statements, etc.

Are Court Records Public in Prince Edward County?

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act provides that "records held by public bodies, public officials, and public employees" are public and may be accessed by all citizens of the commonwealth and media representatives. This means that Prince Edward County court records can be accessed by anyone, except where such access is specifically prohibited by law or for other legitimate reasons.

In such a case, the court clerk must notify a requester of the reason for which they were denied access to the requested records. Where an entire case record is not exempt but contains non-public information, portions of the record with the non-public information will be redacted before the records are released. Exempt records include the following:

• Personnel records
• Information about witnesses and victims
• Records protected by attorney-client privilege
• Juvenile records
• Sealed records
• Vendor proprietary information documented by a court clerk about a case
• Documents on ongoing criminal investigation.

Prince Edward County Court Records Search

Prince Edward County court records may be obtained through any of the following means:

• A FOIA request submitted to the office of the clerk of court (via mail, e-mail, fax, in-person, or over the phone).
• Online resources like the Virginia Judiciary case search portal.
• Third-party informational websites.

Prince Edward County Courts

Prince Edward County's court system consists of a Circuit Court, a District Court, and a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. The circuit and district courts have shared jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. Civil cases with claims greater than $4,500 and felonies are beyond the district court's jurisdiction and are only handled by the county's circuit court.

The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court hears criminal and traffic matters involving persons under the age of 18 and other family-related matters, such as child custody, support, visitation, family abuse, and child abuse/neglect. Below is contact information for Prince Edward County's various courts.

Prince Edward County Circuit Court - 10th Judicial Circuit
111 South Street
P.O. Box 304
North Main Street
Farmville, VA 23901
Phone: (434) 392-5145
Fax: (434) 392-3913

Prince Edward County General District Court - 10th Judicial District
111 South Street, Second Floor
P.O. Box 41
Farmville, VA 23901
Phone: (434) 392-4024
Fax: (434) 392-3800

Prince Edward County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court
111 South Street
P.O. Box 41
Farmville, VA 23901
Phone: (434) 392-3343
Fax: (434) 392-1470

Prince Edward County Criminal and Civil Records

Prince Edward County Circuit and District courts have joint jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. Records are maintained separately by the clerk of the specific court where a case was filed. General District Court case information for all Virginia counties is available on a single online database. This website contains information for both civil and criminal cases.

To begin, a user must specify the county district court where the case in question was filed. Searches are done using party name, case number, or hearing date. Prince Edward County criminal records and civil records for cases filed in the county's circuit court are also available online via the state's court case information system. Searches can be done using a case party's first and last name, a case number, or a hearing date.

For complete records and criminal case records which may include Prince Edward County arrest records, complete a public record request and submit it to the relevant court clerk along with any required fee and a valid ID.

Prince Edward County Marriage Records

Prince Edward County marriage records become public 25 years after the event. The Edward County court clerk maintains these records and may facilitate a search at their office or online. Records created since 1936 are available at the state's vital records office. Eligible record seekers may obtain records in person at the county health department or online. In-person requesters must possess a means of identification.

Prince Edward County Divorce Records

Divorces in Edward County are handled by the county's circuit court. Associated records are maintained by the circuit court clerk and are available to eligible parties. For older divorce records, visit the county's health department with a valid ID. Note that information, such as marriage participant's names and case numbers is required to furnish a search.

Prince Edward County Birth Records

A person's Prince Edward County birth certificate is relevant throughout their lifetime and is required for various official applications, including licensing and applications for government IDs, and school enrollment. Edward County birth records become public after 100 years from the date of birth. Until they become public, birth records may only be accessed by record subjects and immediate family members with a valid identification.

Birth records are maintained by the Vital Records Office of the Virginia Department of Health. All births recorded from 1912 to the present are available at this office. Requesters are required to complete an application and submit it by mail or in person at the nearest office location. Prince Edward County vital records are handled by Piedmont Health District. For additional information, contact the Vital Records Office at:

111 South Street
Farmville, VA 23901
Phone: (434) 392-3984
Fax: (434) 392-1088

Prince Edward County Death Records

In Virginia, death records become public 25 years after the record subject's date of death. Non-public death records are only accessible to immediate family members. Vital records are generally not disclosable to relatives like cousins, in-laws, aunties, or uncles. A person's death certificate is needed to execute their will and file legal paperwork pertaining to their estate. Prince Edward County death records may be obtained through the Vital Records Office.

Prince Edward County Probate Court Records

Probate cases are heard at the Prince Edward County Circuit Court. Examples of probate cases are estate disputes, will execution, distribution of a deceased person's estate, guardianship, conservatorship, trust administration, and mental incapacity cases. The circuit court clerk maintains these records and may provide interested parties assistance in obtaining them. Note that certain probate-related documents, such as wills and death certificates, are available to case parties and certain authorized individuals.

Prince Edward County Property Records

Property records are filed with the Prince Edward County Clerk of Court's Office. They include plats, deeds, liens, mortgages, and other documents created in relation to real estate located within the county. Real estate records are obtainable from this office and online via a subscription-based Secure Remote Access website. Available records are indexes (from January 1916), document images (from January 1940), judgments, and UCCs. To activate an account and access records, a person is required to complete the Subscriber Agreement and Application.

Prince Edward County Court Records Online

Individuals with relevant case information may search third-party websites like Virginiacourtrecords.us for records. These websites are quite easy to use coupled with their minimal search requirements. For instance, searches are typically name-based and only require additional information like dates and case numbers for advanced searches. However, it is important to verify any obtained information against official sources, as some service providers only provide access to limited information.