Mecklenburg County Court Records

Mecklenburg County court records are documents submitted to or created by a court in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. These records include documents or information that typically relate to the facts of a criminal or civil case and the court's decision-making process. Mecklenburg court records include court orders, complaints and responses, calendars, budgets, phone records, emails between judges, and even notes and draft opinions made by judges and law clerks. Court records in Mecklenburg County courts are categorized into three main types:

• Court case files: These are records that provide an official account of court decisions following an adjudication. Case files also contain information about individuals involved in a court case. Some examples of these include Pleadings, affidavits submitted to the court, motions, evidence brought into court, notifications, orders.
• Records of court administration: These are required for the courts' operation and management, but they have nothing to do with how cases are decided. Court schedules, juror lists, proposed and finalized budgets, receipts, time sheets, and phone logs are a few examples.
• Personal records of court personnel: These are records kept for the individual's personal use and are not part of a case file. Certain court employees or authorities create them in connection with judicial activity. Examples are notes made by judges and legal clerks, emails sent back and forth between judges and attorneys, or notes made by judges and law clerks.

Are Court Records Public in Mecklenburg County?

Yes. Court records are public in Mecklenburg County per North Carolina Public Records Law. The North Carolina Constitution's Art. I, Section 18, further protects residents' rights to examine records maintained by government agencies, including Mecklenburg County court records, unless a court order exempts them from public access. According to the state's public records laws, access may also be restricted if there is a compelling "higher interest," such as safeguarding the accused's right to a fair trial, maintaining the integrity of an ongoing investigation, or defending witnesses or innocent bystanders. Other types of specific court records that are exempt from public disclosure include:

• Warrants for arrests and searches that have not been carried out and returned by law enforcement
• Settlement agreements in legal disputes concerning accusations of medical malpractice directed at public hospitals

Mecklenburg County Superior Court Case Search

Interested members of the public may conduct a Mecklenburg County Superior Court case search online, in person, or via mail.

To conduct an in-person search, visit the Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Office. County clerks in North Carolina maintain a record of court cases per NCGS 7a-109 of the North Carolina statutes. These records are stored in both computerized and manual format and are accessible to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Public access terminals at the courthouse also provide on-site access to court records during business hours.

Inquirers may also use the North Carolina e-courts portal to search for case information managed by the Mecklenburg County Superior Court. Records from October 2023 onwards are included in this database. In order to access this portal, users must first register with their name and email address. Once registered, users may perform searches on the portal by entering a record number or a person's name related to the case of interest (party name, attorney name, name of business). This portal can be used to search for other important case information, such as the hearing date or the case's ultimate verdict.

Mecklenburg County court documents may also be retrieved via email and mail searches. The criminal, civil, and estate divisions of the court process emails from people requesting to search case records. The emails should include the type of record request, the party(s) name(s), and the file number, if available.

• Email Mecklenburg.Criminal@nccourts.org to gain access to Criminal files.
• Email Mecklenburg.Civil@nccourts.org to gain access to Civil files.
• Send an email to Mecklenburg.Estates@nccourts.org to obtain Estate files.

Mecklenburg County District Court Records

Mecklenburg County is within the jurisdiction of the US District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The Western District Court of North Carolina (Mecklenburg County's district court) has exclusive jurisdiction over cases involving civil sums under $10,000, juvenile processes, probable cause hearings in felonies, commitments to mental health hospitals, and domestic relations matters.

Individuals can request Mecklenburg county district court records using the online PACER system.The pacer system provides public access to court transcripts from North Carolina district courts. Records may be accessed thus:

• Register with the PACER system.
• Click "find a case" and search by "specific courts"
• To locate connections unique to a court, use the Court CM/ECF Lookup.
• Choose "district" as the court type, then Circuit Number 4.
• Search for the case using the file number or name of an individual.

Mecklenburg County Criminal Records

Mecklenburg County criminal records are official documents maintained by local law enforcement agencies, including the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office and the city police department. These records are available to interested members of the public upon request per North Carolina's Public Records Act. Requests can be made for Mecklenburg County criminal records by completing a public records request form at the law enforcement agency's office. Other types of criminal records, including Mecklenburg County arrest records, crime reports, and crash reports, are available for free when requesters make in-person requests to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police department. They can also be accessed online for a $6 fee.

Interested members of the public may visit the Clerk of the Superior Court to request a certified criminal record search by name for themselves or others in Mecklenburg County. To search, residents must complete Form AOC-CR-314, print it, and send it to the Clerk's office along with a $25 fee that can be paid via:

• Money orders or certified checks (personal checks are not allowed) which can be sent by mail.
• Cash, money orders, credit cards, and certified checks for payments in person

Mecklenburg County Criminal Court Case Lookup

A Mecklenburg criminal court case lookup can be performed at the superior county court clerk's office in Mecklenburg by:

• Visiting the In-person at the county clerk's office. staff at the office can help look up criminal court case information
• Performing an online lookup using the North Carolina e-courts system to perform a "smart search" using the names of a person of interest or a document number
• Email the party's name or file number to MecklenburgCriminal@nccourts

Get Mecklenburg County Civil Court Records

Mecklenburg County civil court records can be obtained by querying the office of the District County Court Clerk. The civil court system is part of the district court system, which handles civil cases involving less than $10000. Mecklenburg County Civil Court is also known as the small claims court. Magistrates preside over matters in the Mecklenburg County Small Claims Court, and some examples of civil cases handled by the court include eviction cases, vehicle lien enforcement, and personal loan defaults.

Interested parties can obtain these documents by contacting the Clerk's office in person or online. To access civil court records, inquirers must furnish the custodian's office with the date the case was filed and the names of all parties involved.

Mecklenburg County Family Court Records

The Family Court in Mecklenburg County is part of the district court system and is presided over by district court judges. Mecklenburg County Family Courts hear cases involving:

• Juvenile misbehavior
• Allegations of abuse, neglect, and dependency
• Parental rights are terminated
• Domestic abuse
• Visitation and custody rights for children
• Divorce and associated financial concerns, such as alimony, child support, and fair property division

Interested members of the public may obtain a Mecklenburg County family court record by contacting:

• The family court administrator: Darwin.F.Rice@nccourts.org and (704) 686-0291
• The family court assistant: clerkLindsey.S.Barton@nccourts.org – and (704) 686-0535

Mecklenburg Dissolution of Marriage Records

Dissolution of Marriage records are a type of divorce record considered part of the family court files in Mecklenburg County. Persons interested in obtaining these records can contact the office of the Superior Court Clerk. Requests for these records are usually processed using the name of the parties involved or details of their marriage license (where applicable).

Mecklenburg County Marriage and Divorce Records

Mecklenburg County marriage and divorce records can be obtained from different custodians. The type of marriage or divorce record required and the date of its issuance determine which office they are held by.

A marriage certificate can be obtained from the register of deeds office in the county. Requesters may visit the office of the register of deeds to make a request in-person or use the online marriage records request portal to make an online marriage certificate request. The inquirer can send a request via mail, compiling the marriage certificate request form and proof of identity to the Register of Deeds office located at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse building. A certified marriage certificate costs $10, while an uncertified copy costs $1.

Similarly, a divorce record can be obtained at the county courthouse where the divorce was filed. Interested persons may also find these records by visiting the Clerk of the County Court in Mecklenburg.

A statewide search for divorce records can also be done at the North Carolina Vital Records Office. The office allows individuals to order divorce records through their online portal or by visiting the vital records office in person to make a request for these records. It costs $24 to search for divorce records at the vital records office.

According to North Carolina General Statute 130A-26A, fraudulently requesting a certified copy of a vital record or obtaining, possessing, selling, furnishing, using, or attempting to use a North Carolina essential record for any deceptive purpose is a felony.

Mecklenburg County Birth and Death Records

Mecklenburg birth and death records are maintained and disseminated by the Mecklenburg county office of vital records. Residents of Mecklenburg County requiring a certified or uncertified birth or death certificate that was registered in the county can get one from the county's vital record office. The individual named on the certificate or their immediate family may apply online, in person, or by mail for Births and Death that Occurred and was recorded in Mecklenburg County from 1913 till Present to receive birth and death records in the county. A certificate is available for $10.

The Mecklenburg Vital Records Office also processes public record requests for birth and death records if the event occurred around 1971; However, this can only be completed in person at the office.

Mecklenburg County Probate Court Records

In North Carolina, the probate judge is the elected Clerk of the Superior Court in each county. In Mecklenburg County, the majority of estate hearings and cases are presided over by the assistant clerks and the superior court clerk. The court is in charge of managing cases concerning conservatorships, guardianships, estates, trusts, and other probate-related issues.

Mecklenburg County probate court records can be obtained by contacting the Clerk of the county court in person or by Phone: ((704) 686-0420). Important documents relating to probate administrations, such as a will of an estate, can also be accessed online through the Mecklenburg County Archives.

Mecklenburg County Property Records

The Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds Office officially maintains all public records regarding Mecklenburg County real property. Together with other public records submitted for registration, the register keeps track of, protects, and preserves these records. Examples of real property records available at the office include Title transfers, mortgages, power of attorney agreements, separation agreements, and maps.

Mecklenburg County property records can be obtained online, via mail, or in person at the county assessor's office. Every real estate document is open to the public. It can be inspected in person between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Historical land records are also accessible online through the Mecklenburg County Register Of Deeds Remote Access Site.

Mecklenburg County Court Records Online

Court records for Mecklenburg County are also accessible via third-party aggregate sources like Northcarolinacourtrecords.us. The databases are assembled by licensed private investigators from both official and unofficial sources due to Mecklenburg County's and other North Carolina municipalities' open records legislation. Although the majority of the older private databases are renowned for having insufficient data, some of them do include trustworthy information. When accessing Mecklenburg County court records through these websites, first-time users must confirm the accuracy of the information by cross-referencing it with official sources.

One major benefit of these websites is the ease of remote access to county court documents. Most of these sites charge a small one-time or monthly subscription fee for their services. Additionally, they provide more expensive premium services with broader search options.