Union County Court Records

Union County sits in the southern Piedmont region of North Carolina, with its county seat in Monroe. Both the Superior Court and District Court divisions of the North Carolina General Court of Justice operate from the Union County Judicial Center. Court records from these courts — including complaints, motions, orders, judgments, docket sheets, and exhibits — document the proceedings and outcomes of criminal, civil, family, and estate cases filed in the county.

You can access Union County court records through the Clerk of Superior Court's office, public-access terminals at the courthouse, or online through the state's Portal. Additional court directories, forms, and service information are available through NorthCarolinaCourts.us. Union County went live on the state's eCourts system in October 2024, so digital records and electronic filing are now available for cases processed through the county's courts.

How to Look Up a Court Case in Union County?

All Superior Court and District Court proceedings in Union County take place at a single facility:

Union County Judicial Center
Address: 400 North Main Street, Monroe, NC 28112
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5038, Monroe, NC 28112
Phone: (704) 698-3100
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Clerk of Superior Court's office, located within the Judicial Center, keeps all court records for both the Superior Court and District Court and also acts as the county's judge of probate, overseeing estate and guardianship matters.

To look up a court case, you have the following options:

In person at the courthouse. Visit the Clerk's office during business hours and use the public self-service terminals. These allow free searches by defendant name, attorney name, case number, or witness/victim name. Staff can also pull paper case files for inspection and provide photocopies for a fee.
Online through Portal. North Carolina's statewide Portal provides remote access to case information, court dates, and case documents. Search by name, case number, citation number, county, or attorney. Since Union County adopted the eCourts platform in October 2024, case data is maintained digitally and searchable through this system.
Online through the legacy calendar search. The District and Superior Court Search tool on the North Carolina Judicial Branch website lets you look up criminal and civil calendars and basic case details.
By mail. Submit a written request to the Clerk of Superior Court at P.O. Box 5038, Monroe, NC 28112. Include the case number or party name along with fees paid by certified check, cashier's check, or money order payable to Clerk of Superior Court of Union County. Personal checks are not accepted.
By phone. Call the Clerk's main line at (704) 698-3100 for help with record retrieval procedures and to confirm whether a specific record is available.

Key contacts at the Union County Judicial Center:

Office	Phone
Clerk of Superior Court	(704) 698-3100
Superior Court Judges	(704) 698-3116
District Court Judges	(704) 698-3112
Magistrates	(704) 292-2746
Family Court	(704) 698-3224

Are Court Records Public in Union County?

Court records in Union County are presumptively open to the public under the North Carolina Public Records Law, codified at Chapter 132 of the N.C. General Statutes. This law broadly defines public records as all documents and materials maintained by any public body — including courts — in the course of official duties. Anyone may inspect or obtain copies of public court records without stating a reason for the request.

That said, several categories of records are excluded from public access by statute or court order. Records that are confidential or restricted in Union County include:

Juvenile court files (governed by the Juvenile Code, G.S. Chapter 7B)
Adoption records
Sealed or expunged criminal records
Involuntary commitment and mental health proceedings
Grand jury proceedings
Presentence investigation reports
Records subject to a judicial sealing or protective order

When records are available, the Clerk's office charges statutory fees for copies. Under G.S. 7A-308(a)(12), the current copy fees (effective January 1, 2026) are:

First page of each document: $2.00
Each additional page: $0.25
Certification of any document: $12.00 (G.S. 7A-308(a)(12) combined with related provisions)
Exemplification of records: $10.00

At the courthouse, you can pay by cash, certified check, cashier's check, money order, or credit/debit card (a processing fee applies to card transactions). For mail requests, only certified checks, cashier's checks, or money orders are accepted.

The North Carolina Judicial Branch also provides information about requesting public records on its website, including guidance on what types of requests can be submitted online, by mail, or in person.

Union County Criminal Court Records

Criminal cases in Union County are divided between the Superior Court and the District Court based on the severity of the offense. The Superior Court handles felonies and appeals of misdemeanor and infraction convictions from the District Court. The District Court adjudicates misdemeanors and infractions that don't require a jury trial. Both courts operate from the Union County Judicial Center.

Here's how to search for criminal court records:

At the courthouse. Public-access terminals in the Clerk's office allow free searches of criminal case data by defendant name, case number, or victim/witness name. Paper case files can be reviewed in person during business hours. Copies cost $2.00 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page.

Online. The statewide Portal gives you access to criminal case information for Union County cases processed through eCourts. Search by name, case number, or citation.

Certified criminal record search. For a certified record check of criminal cases filed in Union County, complete Form AOC-CR-314 and submit it to the Clerk of Superior Court with a $25.00 fee. You can file in person or by mail. Keep in mind this search covers only Union County court records — it is not a statewide search. Mail payments must be by money order or certified check.

Statewide criminal history. For a fingerprint-based statewide background check, contact the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. The SBI offers a personal Right to Review check for $14.00, available to individuals checking their own records and certain authorized agencies.

Sheriff's Office records. The Union County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest and incident records. Use the Sheriff's Event Search portal to search by date range, name, address, or case number for arrest details such as date, arrestee's name, charge, and location. The Sheriff also runs an Inmate Inquiry portal showing booking and custody information for people currently held at the county jail. For police reports from municipal departments, contact the relevant department directly — note that the full report may not be available as a public record.

Business data access. Companies needing ongoing access to criminal court data across all North Carolina counties can apply through the Remote Public Access Program, administered by the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. RPA offers both real-time online access and bulk data extracts under a licensing agreement.

Union County Civil Court Records

Civil cases in Union County go to either the Superior Court or the District Court depending on the amount in dispute. The Superior Court has jurisdiction over claims of $25,000 or more, while the District Court handles claims below that threshold, including small claims actions heard by magistrates. The Clerk of Superior Court's office is the official keeper of civil case records from both courts.

To access Union County civil court records:

Visit the Clerk's office. During regular business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), you can review civil case files in person. Staff can pull paper files and provide copies at $2.00 for the first page and $0.25 per additional page.
Search online. Civil case information can be searched through the statewide Portal by name, case number, or attorney. The Civil Case Processing System (VCAP) User Manual explains how the system storing civil case data works.
Request by mail. Send a written request to the Clerk of Superior Court at P.O. Box 5038, Monroe, NC 28112, with the case number or party name and the applicable fees.
Search court calendars. Upcoming civil hearing dates are listed on the North Carolina Judicial Branch's Court Dates page — just select Union County.

Civil filing fees in North Carolina are set by the General Assembly and vary by case type. Initial filings typically require a General Court of Justice fee, a facilities fee, and a telecommunications fee, plus Sheriff's service fees. The current court costs charts published by the Judicial Branch break down costs for civil cases, special proceedings, and estates.

Court proceedings that affect real property — including foreclosures, evictions, partitions, condemnations, judgments, and liens — are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court. Deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, plats, and other recorded instruments are kept by the Union County Register of Deeds, whose Land Records database is searchable online for property records going back to 1842.

Union County Family Court Records

Domestic relations cases in Union County — divorce, annulment, child custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, and domestic violence protection orders — are heard by the District Court's Family Court division, as authorized under G.S. 7A-244. The Superior Court retains jurisdiction over certain family matters such as adoption. All family court proceedings take place at the Union County Judicial Center.

To obtain family court records, contact the Family Court division at (704) 698-3224 or visit the Clerk of Superior Court's office during business hours. Many family court records — particularly those involving juvenile proceedings, adoptions, and abuse/neglect cases — are confidential and not available to the general public. Accessing confidential records typically requires authorization by law or a court order.

Audio recordings of family court proceedings may be available from the Clerk's office. For non-confidential cases, use Form AOC-G-114 to request a duplicate recording. For confidential proceedings such as juvenile or involuntary commitment cases, Form AOC-G-115 must be submitted to obtain the court's permission.

Divorce records. Copies of divorce judgments can be obtained from the Clerk of Superior Court's office in the county where the divorce was granted, at the standard copy fee. Alternatively, divorce certificates from 1958 to the present can be ordered from NC Vital Records. Each order carries a nonrefundable $24.00 search fee, which includes one copy if the certificate is found. The Vital Records Order a Certificate page explains how to submit requests online, by phone, by mail, or in person.

Marriage records. Marriage certificates in Union County are maintained by the Union County Register of Deeds, located at 500 North Main Street, Suite 258, Monroe, NC 28112, Phone: (704) 283-3843 Under G.S. 130A-93, certified copies of marriage certificates are available only to the spouses, their children or stepchildren, siblings, parents or stepparents, grandparents, grandchildren, or an authorized agent or attorney with supporting documentation. All others may obtain uncertified copies.

Requests can be submitted in person (with valid photo ID), by mail using the Marriage Certificate form, or online through the Register's ordering system. A certified copy costs $10.00; an uncertified copy is $1.00. Mail requests go to P.O. Box 248, Monroe, NC 28111. Marriage certificates may also be ordered from NC Vital Records (records from 1962 forward) for $24.00 per search.

Birth and death records. Access to birth and death certificates in Union County is also restricted under G.S. 130A-93 to the subject of the record, legal representatives, parents, and other qualifying relatives. Certified copies cost $10.00 each from the Register of Deeds; uncertified copies are $1.00. Request forms for birth and death certificates are available on the county website and can be submitted in person, by mail, or online.

The NC Vital Records Office also issues these certificates ($24.00 per search) for births from 1913 forward and deaths from 1930 forward. For earlier death records, contact the NC State Archives. For birth records predating 1913, the Register of Deeds is the right office to contact.

Union County Probate Court Records

In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court acts as the ex officio judge of probate with original and exclusive jurisdiction over estate proceedings. In Union County, the Clerk's office at the Judicial Center handles all probate matters — administration of decedents' estates, probate of wills, appointment of executors and administrators, guardianship of minors and incompetent adults, and related special proceedings. This jurisdiction is established under G.S. 7A-241 and G.S. 7A-246.

To search for or obtain probate court records in Union County:

In person: Visit the Clerk of Superior Court's office at 400 North Main Street, Monroe, NC 28112, during regular hours (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Public-access terminals are available for searching estates and special proceedings. Staff can retrieve paper estate files and provide copies.
Online: Estate case information for Union County can be searched through the statewide Portal now that eCourts is active in the county.
By mail: Send written requests to P.O. Box 5038, Monroe, NC 28112. Include the decedent's name, estate file number if known, and fees paid by certified check, cashier's check, or money order.
By phone: Call the Clerk's office at (704) 698-3100 for help locating an estate file or to confirm what documents are available.

Filing fees for estate proceedings are set by the General Assembly and detailed in the Estates Court Costs chart. These costs include General Court of Justice fees, facilities fees, and other charges that must be paid upfront when opening an estate. Additional fees may apply for filings such as accountings, motions, and hearing notices during the administration process.

Standard copy fees apply to probate records: $2.00 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page, with certification at $12.00 per document. Most estate records are generally public, though guardianship proceedings involving incompetent adults or minors may have restricted components, and any records sealed by court order are not available for inspection.

The Clerk's office also handles the Clerk Mediation Program for contested estate and special proceeding matters. Local rules and forms specific to Union County courts are published on the North Carolina Judicial Branch's Local Rules and Forms page.