Richmond County Court Records
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Richmond County, North Carolina maintains a substantial body of court records generated through the county's Superior Court, District Court, and related judicial offices. These records document the full scope of legal proceedings in the county — from felony criminal trials to civil disputes, family law matters, and probate administration. They include motions, pleas, dockets, judgments, decrees, and dispositions. The Clerk of Superior Court is the primary custodian of most of these records, handling public access requests and copy services for both criminal and civil matters.
Individuals searching for court records in North Carolina have several options. Official court resources, courthouse public access terminals, the Clerk of Courts office, and online tools all provide pathways to case information. NorthCarolinaCourts.us may assist in locating publicly available court case information and understanding how the state's court system is organized by county and district.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Richmond County?
Richmond County's courts are located in the Richmond County Judicial Center in Rockingham and fall within Superior Court District 21 and District Court District 21. The county's court records went fully online in October 2024 when Richmond County joined 10 other counties in adopting the North Carolina Judicial Branch's eCourts initiative, making case information significantly more accessible to the public.
Richmond County Superior Court
Address: 105 West Franklin Street, Rockingham, NC 28379
Phone: (910) 419-7400
Richmond County District Court
Address: 105 West Franklin Street, Rockingham, NC 28379
Phone: (910) 419-7400
Family Court Phone: (910) 419-7575 | Fax: (910) 419-7576
The following methods are available for locating case records:
- NC Courts Portal (online) — The North Carolina Judicial Branch's Portal allows the public to search court records, find hearing dates, and make payments online. You can search by name, citation number, attorney, county, and other identifiers. This is particularly useful for Richmond County cases added to the eCourts system since October 2024.
- In-person courthouse terminals — Public, self-service terminals at the Richmond County clerk's office let visitors search for cases by defendant name, case number, or victim/witness name.
- Paper file review — Paper case files may be reviewed at the clerk's office in person. Staff can pull files for self-research, and document copies are available for a fee.
- Remote Public Access Program — The North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC) offers the Remote Public Access Program (RPA), which provides licensed access to criminal and civil court data from all 100 North Carolina counties, including Richmond. RPA offers both real-time online access and bulk data extract options, operating under the authority of G.S. 7A-109(d) and (e) and G.S. 7A-343.2.
- Richmond County local rules and forms — Procedural guidelines specific to Richmond County courts are published on the NC Courts website under Richmond County Local Rules and Forms.
Are Court Records Public in Richmond County?
Court records generated in Richmond County are public records under North Carolina's Public Records Law, Chapter 132 of the North Carolina General Statutes. Under this law, custodians of public records — including the Clerk of Superior Court — are required to provide public access for inspection and copying upon request. The law applies broadly to documents, audio recordings, digital files, and other materials maintained by government entities.
Despite the general presumption of openness, certain categories of records are withheld from public disclosure:
- Records sealed by a court order
- Confidential financial information, including Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and passwords
- Information that could identify confidential informants or undercover law enforcement agents
- Records made confidential by federal or state law
- Juvenile court records (which are confidential by statute in North Carolina)
- Involuntary hospitalization case records
If you need an audio recording of a non-confidential court proceeding, use Form AOC-G-114 to request a duplicate copy. For confidential proceedings, Form AOC-G-115 is required, along with a court order authorizing access. For background checks, the NC Judicial Branch recommends contacting the county clerk's office directly rather than using the online Portal, which is not designed for that purpose.
Richmond County Criminal Court Records
Criminal court records are produced during felony and misdemeanor prosecutions in Richmond County. The Superior Court handles felony cases and other serious criminal matters, while the District Court has jurisdiction over misdemeanor offenses. Both courts are located at 105 West Franklin Street in Rockingham.
The Clerk of Superior Court maintains criminal case records and handles requests from the public. To search for or obtain a criminal case record:
- In person — Visit the clerk's office at 105 West Franklin Street during business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.). Staff can help locate records by defendant name or case number, and document copies are available for a fee.
- Online — Search case information through the NC Courts Portal. Richmond County joined the eCourts system in October 2024, so a growing volume of criminal case information is now searchable online.
- Courthouse terminals — Public terminals at the clerk's office support searches by defendant name, case number, or victim/witness name, providing access to the same criminal case processing database used by court staff.
Arrest records in Richmond County are maintained by local law enforcement and may be obtained from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office as well as other local police agencies. Not all arrest records become part of court files — particularly if charges were dropped or an individual was released without prosecution. For criminal background checks, the county clerk's office is the appropriate resource rather than online portal searches, per NC Judicial Branch guidance.
Richmond County Civil Court Records
Civil court records document private legal disputes in Richmond County, covering contract claims, personal injury litigation, property disputes, small claims, landlord-tenant proceedings, and other non-criminal matters. The Superior Court handles civil cases involving larger claims and more complex disputes, while the District Court addresses civil matters within its jurisdictional limits.
To access civil case records in Richmond County:
- Online search — The NC Courts Portal supports civil case lookups for cases in the eCourts system. A user manual for the Civil Case Processing System (VCAP) is available for parties navigating the legacy case database.
- In-person terminals — Public terminals at the courthouse allow self-service searches of civil and special proceeding case information.
- Paper files — Case files can be reviewed at the clerk's office, and copies of filed documents are available upon request for a fee.
- RPA Program — Businesses and organizations with bulk data needs can obtain civil court data through the Remote Public Access Program.
You can also contact the Clerk's office directly at (910) 419-7400 to ask about record availability, copy fees, and request procedures for specific civil filings.
Richmond County Family Court Records
Family law matters in Richmond County are handled by the Family Court Division of the District Court. The Family Division addresses a wide range of domestic proceedings — including divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, paternity, domestic violence protective orders, and adoption. Richmond County's Family Court operates under the goal of producing timely and consistent outcomes for families navigating legal issues.
Divorce Records
Divorce records are maintained by the District Court clerk and are generally public records. You can obtain copies of divorce judgments by visiting the clerk's office at 105 West Franklin Street in Rockingham, calling the Family Division at (910) 419-7575, or searching the NC Courts Portal for cases in the eCourts system. You may also send a written request with relevant case details — such as the names of both parties and the case number, if known — to the clerk's office. Copies are available for a fee charged by the clerk.
Marriage Records
Marriage records in Richmond County, including licenses dating to 1779, are maintained by the Richmond County Register of Deeds. Two types of copies are available:
| Certificate Type | Available To | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Certified copy | The couple named, immediate family, authorized agents/representatives | $10.00 each |
| Non-certified copy | General public | $0.35 each |
To request a marriage record, download and complete the marriage section of the Paper Application for a Copy of Vital Records and submit it in person or by mail to:
Richmond County Register of Deeds
114 E. Franklin Street, Room 101, Rockingham, NC 28379
Mail-in requests should include a copy of valid identification and a check or money order for the applicable fee.
Birth and Death Records
Birth records (1913 to current) and death records (1913 to current) are also maintained by the Register of Deeds. The same Paper Application for a Copy of Vital Records is used for both, with the relevant section completed for each record type. Non-certified copies are available to the public, while certified copies are restricted to the subject, immediate family, legal representatives, and others with a documented legal interest. Certified copies cost $10.00 each; non-certified copies cost $0.35 each.
The office can also issue out-of-county birth certificates for records from 1971 to current for $24.00 per copy, with additional copies at $15.00 each. Certified birth certificates may also be ordered online through GetCertificateNow. Alternatively, both birth and death records may be requested through North Carolina Vital Records.
The Register of Deeds office can be reached at (910) 997-8250 or by email at kimberly.roberts@richmondnc.com.
Richmond County Probate Court Records
In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court serves as the probate judge for the county, giving the Clerk's office exclusive responsibility for all estate, will, guardianship, and probate matters. Richmond County probate court records are generated by cases involving the administration of decedents' estates, probate of wills, establishment of guardianships and conservatorships, trusts, and related proceedings.
To access or request probate records:
Richmond County Superior Court Clerk's Office
Address: 105 West Franklin Street, Rockingham, NC 28379
Phone: (910) 419-7400
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
You can use the courthouse's public access terminals to search the probate records database, or ask staff to retrieve paper case files for review at the counter. Copies of probate documents are available for a fee. Call ahead to (910) 419-7400 to confirm current procedures and any applicable fees before visiting. Probate records for cases entered into the eCourts system can also be searched through the NC Courts Portal.
For general guidance on the North Carolina probate process — including how to open an estate, the roles of the personal representative, the timeline for estate administration, and when probate is required — the NC Judicial Branch publishes resources on its Wills and Estates help topic page. Statewide judicial forms for probate proceedings are also available through the NC Courts forms search.