Rowan County Court Records

Court records in Rowan County refer to all documents prepared, received, and kept by county courts in Rowan County necessary for making decisions regarding cases related to judicial proceedings within the county. North Carolina court records include everything in a typical case file such as pleadings, notices, motions, orders, evidence admitted into court, and others. Information generally found in these court records include date document was filed, index, party name, description, license number, and others.

Court records help legal professionals and attorneys to understand how current cases which are similar to past cases were resolved, making them useful for legal research and analysis. They also offer proof and documentation of arguments presented and evidence displayed. This helps the court to settle disputes, making sure that everyone involved understands the outcome of the case.

Are Court Records Public in Rowan County?

Yes. Pursuant to the North Carolina Public Records Act, all custodians of public records may grant individuals access to inspect records in their custody at appropriate times and under reasonable supervision unless specified by law. Custodians of public records are also expected to provide copies as promptly as possible upon payment of fees as may be required by law. However, some records are exempt from public inspection and may not be examined, except by eligible or authorized persons. Such records include

• Criminal investigations intelligence information
• Records which constitute a trade secret
• Records which reveal images of an individual's signature, date of birth, social security number, or driver's license
• Information which is the private property of an individual
• Juvenile cases
• Sealed court records

Rowan County Court Records Search

Interested persons may perform a Rowan County court records search in the following places

• The Court Clerk's office
• The court where the case was filed
• Rowan County Online Recorded Document Search
• Third-party websites

Rowan County Court Records Search by Name

Individuals who wish to search for a court record in Rowan County may do so by contacting the Rowan County Courthouse Clerk of Court between the hours of 8:30am and 5:00pm. A requester must possess the full and correct name of the relevant subject, as well as other important information that may narrow down the search. Requesters are required to pay a fee of $25 to complete a certified record search. Record seekers may also conduct a name-based search by utilizing the public access computers available at the clerk's office for free.

Alternatively, interested persons may utilize the Recorder of Deeds Online Document Search to obtain court records. Individuals may choose to subscribe, or sign in as a guest. To conduct a search by name, input the first and last name of the subject, and click on “Search”. Parameters like name type, index type, and date, help narrow down the search.

Rowan County Courts

The Rowan County Superior Court has jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases filed within the county. This court also handles appeals from the district court in Rowan County. The Rowan County district court has jurisdiction over some civil and criminal cases filed within the county. Cases such as misdemeanors and fractions, as well as minor civil cases are heard by this court. Courts in Rowan County can be seen below:

Rowan County Superior Court
210 North Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
Phone: (704) 797-3001
Fax: (704) 797-3050

Rowan County District Court
210 North Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
Phone: (704) 797-3011
Fax: (704) 797-3098

Rowan County Superior Court Case Search

All civil and criminal cases fall within the overall jurisdiction of Superior Courts, which also typically handle cases beyond the authority of District Courts. Civil cases heard by the superior court include general civil claims involving disputes above $25,000. Other civil cases include cases without financial limits like injunctions and declaratory relief requests, constitutional rights, most administrative agency rulings, adoptions, and complex business matters.

Criminal cases handled by the Superior Court include all felonies, some misdemeanors and infractions. Anyone who wishes to obtain superior court records may contact the Clerk of Superior Court Office between the working hours of 8:30am to 5:00pm. Court documents can be copied for a cost.

Using the public computer access terminal, individuals can look up cases by name, case number, or defendant name.

Rowan County District Court Records

Some categories of criminal and civil cases in Rowan County fall under the authority of district courts. The district court hears criminal proceedings pertaining to most crimes, most infractions, and violations of local ordinances. In addition, the district court has the authority to accept guilty pleas in some felony cases and hold preliminary hearings in all categories of criminal cases. Other cases handled by the Rowan County District Court include general claims involving $25,000 and below, protection from domestic abuse, and requests for civil no-contact orders.

Interested persons may retrieve district court records from the Clerk of Superior Court Office in person or via mail. Record seekers may also utilize the public access computer terminal at the clerk's office to look up Rowan County district court records.

Rowan County Criminal Records

The Rowan County Sheriff's Office maintains information concerning criminal records and arrests that have been made within the county. Individuals seeking Rowan county arrest and criminal records may contact the sheriff's office via mail, via phone or in person at

Rowan County Sheriff's Office
232 N Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
Phone: (704) 216-8700
Fax: (704) 216-8674

The Sheriff's Office also provides information on individuals arrested but not yet convicted, as well as most wanted criminals information online. Interested persons may also look up the Arrests list and Wanted Persons list on the Sheriff's website.

Alternatively, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), provides non-certified criminal record search services to the general public. Organizations and agencies with statutory authority may conduct criminal record searches on their employees. Private individuals can only perform personal searches for themselves with the submission of a fingerprint card, form, and the required fee.

Furthermore, a police report can be obtained from the law enforcement agency that conducted the investigation or was otherwise engaged in the case; however, the full report might not be available to the public or be a public record until the rules of discovery in a criminal case require it to be.

Rowan County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Interested persons may request a certified criminal record search by name at the Rowan County Clerk of Superior Court Office. To obtain a certified criminal court case record, print and submit the Form AOC-CR-314 in person or via mail for a fee of $25.

Record seekers can also use the public computers in the clerk's office to search, view, or email criminal records for free. Searches conducted with this method are certified and may incur a cost for printing.

Individuals may also look up the Rowan County Criminal Docket Schedule Calendar to obtain court case information.

Get Rowan County Civil Court Records

The Rowan County Superior Clerk of Court records, maintains, disseminates civil court records generated within the county. Anyone who wishes to retrieve a civil court record in Rowan County may contact the Clerk of Superior Court via mail or in person during working hours 8:30am to 5:00pm.

Information about civil cases in Rowan County may also be accessed on the public self-service terminal located at the clerk's office with the help of a user’s manual. Record seekers may also obtain copies of documents in court files with the aid of staff at the clerk's office.

Furthermore, interested persons seeking civil court records may also look up the Civil Docket Schedule Calendar

Rowan County Family Court Records

Family court cases in Rowan County are heard by district court judges. Family court cases include domestic related cases such as cases concerning separation or property settlement agreements between spouses, divorce, annulment, protection from domestic abuse, child custody, child support, paternity, equitable distribution of property, alimony, and other connected matters.

The Rowan County Clerk of Superior Court manages all family court records within the county. Interested persons may view copies of their family court records via the public self-service terminal located at the clerk's office. Individuals who need paper documents may make a request in person or via mail. Marriage and divorce records may also be obtained at the Recorder of Deeds Office and the North Carolina Public Health Division respectively.

Rowan Dissolution of Marriage Records

In North Carolina, the terms "divorce" and "dissolution of marriage" have very similar meanings. Dissolution of marriage records refer to all absolute divorce records in North Carolina. Rowan County absolute divorce records may be obtained by contacting the Clerk of Superior Court Office. Individuals may also submit a request to the North Carolina Public Health Division to retrieve such records, provided they meet the requirements and pay the record processing fees.

Rowan County Marriage and Divorce Records

Interested persons may obtain a Rowan County marriage certificate by contacting the county's Recorder of Deeds Office. Requests can be made in person, online, or via phone with a processing fee of $10. Only eligible or authorized individuals may obtain a marriage certificate. Requesters are required to bring along a valid ID.

Anyone seeking Rowan County divorce records may contact the Clerk of Superior Court during working hours to obtain it. Alternatively, the North Carolina Division of Public Health provides marriage certificates and divorce certificates to requestors for a $24 non-refundable fee. Marriage records from 1962 to present, as well as divorce records from 1958 to present may be obtained from this division.

Rowan Birth and Death Records

Rowan County birth records and death records are maintained by the county's Recorder of Deeds Office. For a fee of $10, interested persons may contact the Recorder of Deeds Office in person, via mail or by phone to obtain a certified copy of a birth or death record.

Requests made online may be processed on normal business days within the hours of 8:00am and 5:00pm. Individuals who choose to obtain a birth or death record in person will be required to provide a valid ID. Only the following individuals are eligible to pick up a birth or death certificate

• Spouse
• Brother/Sister
• Child/Step-Child/Grandchild
• Parent/Step-parent
• Grandparent
• Authorized agent, attorney or Legal Representative (Proof Required at time of pickup)

Birth and death records may be used for medical purposes to provide relevant information concerning medical research. These records also help to monitor public health, and also trace family history and genealogy.

Rowan County Probate Court Records

The Rowan County Superior Court has exclusive authority over proceedings in probate and the administration of estates for decedents. Superior Courts have original jurisdiction over most guardianship cases. The Clerk of Superior Court is the judicial officer presiding over probate court cases. Anyone seeking probate records may contact the clerk's office in person or via mail at

Rowan County Superior Court
210 North Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
Phone: (704) 797-3001
Fax: (704) 797-3050

Rowan County Property Records

Anyone who desires to look up property records within Rowan County may send a mail or visit the Register of Deeds Office during working hours between 8:00am and 5:00pm at

Register of Deeds Office
402 N Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
Phone: (704) 216-8626

For a fee of $5 for the first page of a document, and $2 per subsequent page requested, certified copies of land records may be obtained via mail or in person. To make a request via mail, the written request must contain, an individual must provide a name, contact information, book and page of the document where the record being sought is located, and a self address stamp envelope.

Alternatively, interested persons may utilize the Online Document Search portal provided by the Rowan County Register of Deeds to obtain land records dating from before 1975, and 1975 to date. Information typically found in a Rowan County court record includes name of grantor/ grantee, date document was filed, picture of the deed, property description, and others. Requesters interested in obtaining a certified copy of a land record may look up the Fee Schedule requirements.

Rowan County Court Records Online

Independent websites are generally used by members of the public to obtain public records online. Third-party websites such as northcarolinacourtrecords.us provide the general public with easy access to court records within the state and Rowan County. Records provided by these websites are typically collated from various official sources, and often come with additional features and information such as detailed case summaries and advanced search options.

Individuals can access all kinds of public records simultaneously from these websites, thereby making the process of obtaining various information prompt and convenient. Interested persons may need to pay a certain amount for detailed search services or advanced search options. However, record seekers are advised to vet and verify information obtained from third-party websites because they may be prone to error or outdated data.