Mecklenburg County Superior Court Case Search

The Mecklenburg County eCourts Information portal provides online case search access to Mecklenburg County Superior Court cases. Such records are generally considered public records and can be accessed through records requests. Members of the public can also submit requests in person or by mail to the court clerk’s office, where the records are maintained. When a request is submitted with specific case details, a search will be conducted to locate the relevant information. These details may include case numbers, party names, and filing dates. Typically, there is no fee for conducting a search, although fees may apply if copies of the records are requested.

What Kinds of Cases Are heard in the Mecklenburg Superior Court?

The Mecklenburg County Superior Court is the main trial court where general civil and criminal cases are handled. This court is the court of first instance where most cases in the county and North Carolina originate from. The Mecklenburg County Superior Court handles the following cases:

• Criminal Cases: Criminal matters handled by this court generally include felonies, which are offenses punishable by at least one-year imprisonment. Such offenses include murder, drug trafficking, assault, and armed robbery.
• Civil Cases include a wide range of disputes between individuals and businesses. It handled major civil disputes where the contended amount was over $25,000. Such cases include contract breaches, personal injury claims, property matters, professional liability, and more.
• Family Law cases: The Superior Court handles family law cases as appeals from the District Court. This includes cases of divorce, child support, child custody, and more.
• Probate Cases: This court handles cases involving probate matters such as estates, Wills, and guardianships.
• Specialized Divisions: The Superior Court has special divisions such as Juvenile Court for cases where the parties are minors and Drugs Court to aid with treatment and rehabilitation of persons with substance abuse issues.

Mecklenburg County Superior Court

The Superior Court is a trial-level court where most civil and criminal cases are tried for the first time. This is where most cases originate from which makes it a crucial part of the state’s judicial structure. The cases where this court has exclusive jurisdiction include felonies, property matters, breach of contract, personal injury cases, business disputes, and more.

The Superior Court of Mecklenburg County also exercises limited appellate jurisdiction over cases from the District Court. The court can hear appeals from the District Court specifically for probate matters and family law. The Superior Court process usually involves a judge making the decisions, while there may be jury trials.

Cases are handled to find facts and present evidence and testimonies in this court. This makes it important for fairness and justice for the county residents. Mecklenburg County Superior Court can be accessed using this contact information:

Mecklenburg County Superior Court
832 East Fourth St.,
Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
P.O. Box 37971
(704) 686-0200 - Family Court
(704) 686-0520 - Civil Department
(704) 686-0600 - Criminal Department
(704) 686-0700 - District Attorney
(704) 686-0900 - Public Defender Office

Mecklenburg County Case Lookup

Mecklenburg County court cases can be looked up online, in person, or through the mail. The public can access these cases as they are public records. They are maintained by the court clerk’s office, through which you can conduct case searches using the following tips:

For in-person search
Mecklenburg County court cases can be searched at the relevant courthouse. The public can approach the clerk’s office to look up a court case by providing a records request and information from the case. This request can be in writing or in the prescribed request form. There are also public access terminals at the courthouse, which can be used to search court records during business hours. The public can access this office for records or case search purposes between 9 am to 5 pm from Monday to Friday. Walk-in searches may not attract any fee for simple requests, while complex search requests or copies obtained may be charged.

For online search
The public can access Mecklenburg County court cases online through the Mecklenburg County eCourts Information, which has a Portal link. This link leads to an eCourts Portal through which a Smart Search or Hearings Search can be done. This website requires no registration or payment of fees to use the search page. You will need a record number or first, middle, and last name for this search. While most records are accessible online, recent cases may not be uploaded yet due to data delays. Restricted or sealed records may not be accessible online due to the sensitivity of the case and court orders.

For mail-in search
Mail-in searches involve mailing the search request to the court clerk’s office. This office entertains records requests through the mail, which will be sent with some case information. These details will be used to search the court’s files. Mail-in searches may take weeks to be processed, as mail takes time to be sorted and delivered. The public may not pay for the search but will pay for additional copies of the records requested. To ensure the records office responds to your request, use a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Mecklenburg Superior Court Case Search by Name

Mecklenburg County Superior Court cases are maintained as part of the court’s archives, which are public records. Requesters can approach the court clerk’s office with an in-person request or mail a request with some information about the case to conduct a records search. Providing names relevant to the case, such as the parties’ names, judge’s names, or attorneys on record, can be used to search the court archives by name.

Name searches can produce extensive results where there are common names. This can be addressed using extra information from the case of interest, such as case numbers or filing dates. Requesters can use these details to narrow down the search to the exact records required. Online resources such as the Mecklenburg County eCourts Information website provide access to a records portal where a Smart Search or Hearcings search can be conducted using search options such as names.

Mecklenburg Superior Court Docket Search

A court docket refers to a form of case calendar through which the public can access all the events in the course of a court case. They contain a chronological record of important updates and highlights while a court case is ongoing. Court dockets contain details such as the names of the parties, attorneys representing each client, motions filed during the case, appeals, judgments, rulings, orders, filing dates, and more.

Court dockets can be accessed through requests made at the court clerk’s office in person or through the mail. Online resources such as the Mecklenburg County eCourts Information platform also provide access to court dockets through online search. Requesters will require some details of the court case, such as the case number, filing date, and names of the parties, for a comprehensive search. The same information can be provided to the court clerk’s office for a mail-in or in-person search request. The details contained in court dockets can help the public with staying up to date with a court case and aid legal research.

Lookup Mecklenburg County Superior Court Online

The court clerk maintains Mecklenburg County Superior Court cases, which the public can look up. These cases form public records according to the North Carolina Public Records Law, which makes them publicly accessible. The public can use in-person or mail-in requests to access and obtain copies of court case records.

Online access to these records is also available through the Mecklenburg County eCourts Information website. This platform has a Portal link through which the public can conduct a Smart Search or Search Hearings. Third-party websites like Northcarolinacourtrecords.us also provide online access to these records. These platforms are organized online archives of court cases where requesters can obtain records. While they offer fast and easy access to records, third-party websites are not primary sources, which makes them less accurate than official government sources.

Supreme Court vs. Superior Court

The Mecklenburg County Superior Court is the trial court with original civil and criminal jurisdiction. It presides over a wide range of legal matters, including civil cases generally involving over $25,000, felony criminal cases, domestic relations, and more. The Superior Court also functions as an appellate court, handling appeals from the District Court. Most cases in the county originate and are initially decided in the Superior Court.

The Supreme Court is a state-level court with the highest and final judicial authority. This court exercises appellate jurisdiction over cases from lower courts such as the Court of Appeals and the Superior Courts in some cases. The Supreme Court has jurisdiction over cases that require the lower court’s legal decision to be reviewed or cases that require interpretation of state law. While both courts have appellate jurisdiction, the Superior Court is a lower court to the Supreme Court.