Tazewell County Court Records

Tazewell County court records are documents, files, and evidentiary materials that disclose information about court activities and legal proceedings. These records may be created, filed, or submitted during a legal action or case decision. Court records found in Tazewell County typically include case dispositions, appeals, decrees, motions, dockets, briefs, audio/video recordings, affidavits, witness statements, injunctions, and subpoenas.

Tazewell Court records provide vital information about court cases, such as party names, case numbers, filing dates, case types/statuses, and verdicts entered by a judge. Court records may also function as legal/ historical reference materials and are helpful in ascertaining transparency and fairness in the judicial system. Just like other Tazewell County public records, court records may be inspected and copied by querying the record custodian within regular hours.

Are Court Records Public in Tazewell County?

Yes. Per the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), court records are presumed open for public inspection and copying unless otherwise stated by other laws. Hence, residents and any interested person may freely access publicly available civil, criminal, family, domestic relations, probate case records, and information maintained by the record custodian. However, the public's rights to inspect and copy court records are not exclusive.

Under Virginia Code § 16.1-305 and Virginia Code § 2.2-3706, certain court records are not publicly available; only record subjects and authorized entities may access such records. Some of the records and information prohibited from public disclosure include:

• Mental health competency reports, medical diagnoses, and financial statements
• Records related to ongoing investigations of the law enforcement agencies
• Juvenile and adoption records
• Personal identifying information of witnesses or victims
• Information contained in court records whose disclosure may breach a person's privacy rights or put the public in harm's way
• Court records related to involuntary commitments
• Sealed, expunged, or confidential records.

Tazewell County Court Records Search

Researchers and record seekers may conduct a Tazewell County court records search using the following resources:

• The clerk's office in the originating courthouse
• The Clerk of the Tazewell County Circuit Court
• The State's Circuit Court Case Information System
• The Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System 2.0
• Third-party websites.

Tazewell County Courts

The Tazewell County Court system comprises a Circuit Court, a General District Court, and a Juvenile/Domestic Relations District Court. These courts each have a varying range of jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. The Circuit Court decides civil cases of amounts between $4500 to $25,000 and above. It also handles serious felonies, family cases, appeals from the juvenile/domestic relations court, and probate matters. Outlined below are the addresses and contact details of Tazewell County Courts:

Tazewell County Circuit Court - 29th Judicial Circuit
101 East Main Street
Suite 202
Tazewell, VA 24651
Phone: (276) 385-1222
Fax: (276) 988-7501

Tazewell County General District Court - 29th Judicial District
135 Court Street
Suite 300
Tazewell, VA 24651
Phone: (276) 385-1563
Fax: (276) 988-6202

Tazewell County Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court
101 East Main Street
P.O. Box 613
Tazewell, VA 24651
Phone: (276) 385-1290
Fax: (276) 988-3726

Tazewell County Criminal and Civil Records

Tazewell County criminal court records contain information on cases between the state and individuals where the defendant is accused of violating the Virginia criminal code. On the other hand, Tazewell County civil court records typically cover records on cases between individuals or individuals and business entities.

Tazewell County criminal and civil court records are available at the court where the cases were filed or adjudicated. These records are also maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court or the clerk of the originating court, i.e., where the case was heard or filed. Interested persons may query the appropriate record custodian to inspect and copy these records. Besides, one may find case records on either the Circuit Court Case Information portal or the General District Court Case Information portal.

Tazewell County Marriage Records

Tazewell County Marriage records may be obtained from the office of the clerk of the circuit court between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays. Record subjects, legal representatives, family members, and other persons with a court order may submit requests at:

Tazewell County Circuit Court Clerk's office
135 Court Street, Suite 202
Tazewell, VA 24651-1071
Phone: (276) 385-1222
Fax: (276) 988-7501

Marriage records filed since 1936 may also be retrieved from the Vital Records office of the Virginia Department of Health. Per state laws, the Department of Health issues a certified copy of Tazewell County Marriage certificates at $12 per copy. Eligible individuals may fill out the appropriate application form and submit it by mail or in person at the Vital Records office.

Tazewell County Divorce Records

The Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains divorce records in Tazewell County. However, certified divorce records may only be accessed by the divorcees, their immediate family members, and other legally authorized entities. Qualifying individuals may visit the clerk's office to inspect and copy the desired records.

The State Department of Health also preserves divorce records from 1918 to date and makes them available to eligible applicants at $12 per copy. Interested persons may submit a filled-out application for a marriage/ divorce record form certification. The completed form will be submitted to the Vital Records Division with a valid identification and processing fee.

Tazewell County Birth Records

Birth records are considered part of Tazewell County's vital records and are not public records. They are helpful in passport applications, proof of age, and claiming social security benefits. Tazewell County birth records may be requested by eligible applicants such as the registrant, the registrant's parents, siblings, and other persons authorized by law. The Vital Records Division of the Virginia Department of Health maintains birth records for Tazewell County.

To order a Tazewell County birth certificate from the Office of Vital Records, an eligible applicant may submit a completed request form alongside an approved identification and fee of $12 by mail or in-person to:

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.

Tazewell County Death Records

Tazewell County death records are not publicly available as they are vital legal documents that may be used to claim life insurance or a decedent's estate. Hence, only the record subject, their spouses, and immediate family members can request death certificates in Tazewell County.

The Virginia Department of Health maintains records of deaths in Tazewell County. To request a certified copy of a Tazewell County death certificate, eligible applicants may submit a completed application form and valid identification to the Office of the Vital Records Division of the Department of Health. Each copy of a death certificate costs $12, payable by check or money order.

Tazewell County Probate Court Records

Probate Court records, which comprise case information and records from cases of guardianship, will/estate administration, trust, and conservatorship, are managed by the Clerk of the Tazewell County Circuit Court. Concerned persons may submit in-person or mail requests to the clerk's office. Alternatively, probate court records and case information are remotely available on the Circuit Court Case Information portal. Record seekers may search the portal by name, hearing date, or case number.

Tazewell County Property Records

Property records in Tazewell County, including ownership information, deeds, maps/plats, liens, surveys, and land records, are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Interested persons who wish to look up or copy property records may visit the clerk's office within business hours or send mail requests to the clerk's office. In addition, the clerk's office provides online access to these records via the subscription-based Secure Remote Access (SRA) portal. To use the SRA, interested persons must create an account and subsequently pay a subscription fee of $50 per month.

Tazewell County Court Records Online

Anyone may obtain Tazewell County court records remotely via third-party sites like Virginiacourtrecords.us. These aggregate sites have a user-friendly interface that is convenient for record searches. Most sites are subscription-based, while others may provide free access to basic case information. Note, however, that third-party websites are independent of the government. Consequently, the completeness, accuracy, and currentness of the information available on these sites may vary.