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Alamance County, North Carolina State Court Records

A "court record" is any official documentation of the judicial branch generated or maintained in relation to a legal proceeding. In Alamance County, North Carolina, court records stem from cases tried in the local Superior and District Courts. The principal custodian of these records is the Clerk of the Superior Court’s Office, as per N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-109(a). The clerk maintains records in accordance with N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1, et seq., the law that governs all public records in North Carolina (of which court records are a prominent category), as well as the applicable court rules.

Besides providing a formal, verifiable account of the proceedings and events of a court case, court records are also useful for background checks, efficient case management, and genealogy research. By cross-referencing court records with other public records, such as property and arrest records, individuals can achieve a deeper understanding of a specific legal matter, including any related post-judgment enforcement, such as a lien being affixed against a judgment debtor’s real estate.

Are Alamance County Court Records Public?

Yes. N.C. Gen. Stat. § 132-1, et seq., North Carolina’s Public Records Law, opens the majority of court records within the state to the public’s perusal-and this provision extends to court records in Alamance County. Consequently, anyone can review or duplicate an Alamance County court record.

Access limitations, however, are imposed by the law where releasing information/documents would compromise an active investigation, expose victims or witnesses to harm, bias a person’s trial, unnecessarily invade personal privacy, or for other legally recognized reasons. One example of a confidential court record is a juvenile’s record of adjudication, which remains closed unless to authorized entities (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7B-3001).

What Information is Available in Alamance County Court Records?

What is contained in a court record maintained in Alamance County depends on the type of case. In criminal proceedings, featured documents include criminal complaints or indictments, plea bargains, pre-sentence reports, jury verdicts, warrants, sentencing orders, etc. In contrast, civil case records consist of civil petitions, answers/responses, settlement agreements, writs of garnishment, motions, judgments, and other related papers.

Despite these differences, all court records consistently incorporate certain details. These pieces of information serve not only to identify the parties involved but also to present summary (yet critical) information about the case. These include

  • Names of the defendant/respondent and plaintiff/petitioner
  • Name of the attorney of record (any attorney representing a case party)
  • Name of the presiding judicial officer
  • Filing date
  • Case number
  • Case type (criminal traffic, landlord-tenant, tort, felony, etc.)
  • Case status (active, closed)
  • Disposition (e.g., dismissal, acquittal, summary judgment, judgment for plaintiff) and the date of disposition

Alamance County Court Records Search

Searching for court records in Alamance County is a relatively straightforward process because the Alamance County Clerk of the Superior Court is the sole custodian of these records. The Clerk offers these methods for accessing information:

  • Online Access: All North Carolina courts have been onboarded on the state judiciary’s eCourts portal. As a result, individuals can access this application to search for and view court records from Alamance County. The portal can be searched with a case party’s name or case number. Only summary case information is dispensed, however, and users are directed to the Clerk’s Office for more comprehensive records.
  • In-Person Access: If online access is not feasible, parties can direct their record inquiries to the Alamance County Clerk of the Superior Court’s Office. Inquiries can be made in person at the local courthouse where a case was filed during regular business hours. A case party’s name or the case number is required for staff to locate the correct record.

For unassisted research, free, self-service terminals are accessible 24/7 at the courthouses. These terminals allow searches by case number, defendant name, or victim/witness name.

Fees may apply to collect copies of court records.

The primary channels utilized for court record searches in Alamance County are in-person visits to the courthouse or online via the eCourts portal. However, individuals can contact the Clerk’s Office by phone at (336) 570-5200 or email at Alamance.Clerk@nccourts.org regarding other available access methods, such as the procedures for a mailed-in request.

Fees for Court Records in Alamance County

Under the North Carolina Public Records Law (§§ 132-6, 132-6.2), inspecting public records is generally free in the state. However, agencies may charge a fee to offset the actual costs of producing a copy of a record for a requester.

To this end, the Alamance County Clerk of the Superior Court is authorized to assess a fee for producing a copy of a case proceeding. These fees are specified in the North Carolina Judiciary’s Fee Charts and N.C. Gen. Stat. 7A-308(a)(12).

  • Standard Copies: First page - $2, Additional pages - 25 cents per page
  • Certified Copies: $3
  • Exemplified Copies: $10

Note: The Alamance County Clerk of the Superior Court does not keep vital records. If seeking access to such records (birth, death, marriage information), the Alamance County Register of Deeds is the appropriate county department. The Register offers certified copies (with the official seal) of vital records for $10 each, and uncertified copies (photocopies) for $1 each. A service fee applies if paying by credit card.

Alamance County Courthouse Locations

Alamance County has one Superior Court and one District Court. These courts handle all legal proceedings that originate in the county, with the Superior Court responsible for major criminal and civil cases.

Alamance County’s Superior and District Courts utilize two facilities: the Judge J.B. Allen Jr. Criminal Courthouse and the Alamance County Historical Courthouse. All criminal proceedings are held at the Judge J.B. Allen Jr. Criminal Courthouse. Conversely, the Alamance County Historical Courthouse is the location for all civil matters, except for marriages.

Alamance County Historical Courthouse

1 Court Square

Graham, NC 27253

Phone: (336) 570-5200

Judge J.B. Allen Jr. Criminal Courthouse

212 West Elm Street

Graham, NC 27253

Phone: (336) 570-5202

Criminal Records Access in Alamance County

Access to criminal records in Alamance County can be obtained through two main channels: the courts or law enforcement agencies.

The Courts

In Alamance County, jurisdiction over criminal cases is jointly held by the Superior and District Courts. The Superior Court handles the major criminal cases-felonies-and also hears misdemeanor and infraction appeals from the District Court. Meanwhile, the District Court hears misdemeanor and infractions. Unlike the Superior Court, the District Court holds only non-jury criminal trials.

To access criminal records kept by these courts, one can navigate to the NC judiciary’s online eCourts portal or visit the Judge J.B. Allen Jr. Criminal Courthouse when it is open to use public terminals (eCourts Kiosks) or obtain staff assistance. Direct inquiries may also be made to

Moreover, members of the public can request a Certified Background Check from the Alamance County Clerk of the Superior Court for themselves or others. The check requires completing Form AOC-CR-314 and either hand-delivering it to the Clerk’s Office or mailing it. Each request costs $25.

Law Enforcement Agencies

A Certified Background Check from Alamance County courts, or any similar records check, is limited in scope. These checks only cover criminal records maintained by a specific court clerk’s office and do not constitute a statewide record search.

Where the intention is to find both arrest and conviction records, the request should be sent to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) instead. This agency is the state’s central repository of criminal history information. However, whereas criminal court records are open to the public, NCSBI checks are restricted to the subject of the record and to qualified agencies. A fingerprint check through the NCSBI costs $14 for the record subject, and individuals will need to be fingerprinted at a local police department (e.g., the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office).

Further details on conducting statewide criminal record checks are available on the NCSBI’s Background Checks page.

Alamance County Probate Records

Alamance County probate records encompass the official documentation generated during a probate court matter heard in the Alamance County Superior Court’s Estates Division (N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 7A-241 and 7A-246).

Estate cases cover the administration of a deceased person’s estate, including probating their will (if one exists), appointing executors, settling creditors’ claims, and distributing the leftover assets to the beneficiaries. The Estates Division also hears proceedings for elder protection, adoption, trusts, involuntary commitment, and the appointment of guardians or conservators.

The resulting estate records (decedent matters), as well as records from special proceedings (such as guardianships and adoptions)-collectively called the probate court records-are kept by the Alamance County Clerk of the Superior Court. The Clerk also acts as the ex officio judge of probate.

Many records of the Estates Division are open to the public under NC’s public records statutes, except for those deemed confidential by law. Examples of restricted records include adoption files, involuntary commitment records, guardianship status reports, and wills held for safekeeping.

Probate filings from the Alamance County Superior Court can be viewed online through the state judiciary’s eCourts platform, in person at local courthouse terminals, or by contacting the Clerk’s Office directly. Emailed requests can be sent to the following addresses:

When requesting or searching court records, the case number or a case participant’s name usually speeds up processing.

Alamance County Family Court Records

Family law cases are heard in the District Court in Alamance County (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 7A-244). These cases involve family or domestic relationships, such as divorce, custody, support, annulment, and equitable property distribution.

The Alamance County Clerk of the Superior Court maintains records of these cases, and members of the public may seek access online (via eCourts) or at the courthouse. The Clerk can also be contacted at Alamance.CivilDistrict@nccourts.org or (336) 570-5200 for inquiries about record inspection or copies.

It is important to note that family cases often involve sensitive matters; for that reason, many records are closed to the general public’s review and released only to the parties involved, their attorneys, or a person bearing a valid court order.

Federal Court Records in Alamance County

Federal case jurisdiction for Alamance County is maintained by the U.S. District Court, Middle District Court of North Carolina. This court has exclusive authority over all federal cases arising in Alamance County and maintains offices in Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Durham. The Greensboro courthouse is where cases from Alamance are typically filed.

U.S. District Court

L. Richardson Preyer Courthouse

324 West Market Street

Greensboro, NC 27401-2544

Records kept by the North Carolina Middle District Court in Greensboro can be obtained by searching PACER, the online federal case locator, at a minimal charge. Alternatively, one can visit the courthouse during business hours to access public terminals or view documents in the clerk’s office at no cost. Copies cost 10 cents per page when printed at a public terminal, and 50 cents per page at the clerk’s office.

Individuals can also call the Greensboro Clerk’s Office at (336) 332-6000 to speak to staff and learn the best method for obtaining document access.