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Nash County, North Carolina State Court Records

Nash County court records present an official history of litigation for cases heard within the county's judicial system. Following G.S. 7A-109, these records are preserved and disseminated by the Nash County Clerk of the Superior Court's Office.

Court records are vital resources that enable the public review of judicial actions. They are also linked to other public records-such as vital, property, and arrest records-which may occasionally be submitted to the court to support or argue a legal claim.

Are Nash County Court Records Public?

Yes. The North Carolina Public Records Law (G.S. 132-1 et seq.) and G.S. 7A-109 guarantee that anyone can read, examine, or duplicate records maintained by the judicial branch in connection with a legal matter. State law, however, imposes clear limitations where a particular piece of information or entire court file is protected by statute or judicial order. Examples of confidential court records include wills deposited for safekeeping (G.S. 31-11), adoption records (G.S. 48-10-105), and juvenile records (G.S. 7B-3000).

What Information is Available in Nash County Court Records?

Access to Nash County court records is one of the fundamental rights that members of the public have in North Carolina. To that end, a majority of records are frequently disclosed to requesting parties, with the exact contents of these records varying by the type of proceeding and its complexity. Notwithstanding, court records are usually composed of the following:

  • The Case Summary (Metadata): This encompasses all rudimentary information about a case that a member of the public may access by contacting the Clerk's Office or searching available online databases. Examples are the full names of the litigants and their counsel, the presiding or committing judicial officer, the official filing date, any and all hearings scheduled to reach a final disposition, the specific claim or criminal charge, financial balances, and the ultimate outcome of the case.
  • The Filings: As a case progresses through the Nash County judicial system, the involved parties will frequently file various papers or documents to support their legal arguments or claims. At the same time, the Clerk will create certain documents that help track the proceedings or receive entered orders from the presiding judge or magistrate. All of these constitute the case filings. Concrete examples are pleadings, motions, affidavits, writs, summonses, subpoenas, orders, dockets, calendars, notices, and judgments.

Nash County Court Records Search

The following channels are available to members of the public seeking to search for or view court records from Nash County:

Online Access

Individuals are offered convenient, 24/7 access to Nash County court records through the eCourts Portal hosted on the state judicial branch's official website. ECourts is the statewide case management system, featuring detailed case information and documents from North Carolina's 100 counties. To search the portal, a name or case number is the basic query parameter, but optional filters exist to narrow the search results by case type, county (e.g., Nash County), and more.

ECourts is an entirely free platform; users are not expected to register or pay for access. However, confidential and sealed records are not disseminated through this channel.

The Nash County courts also publish their civil and criminal calendars online.

In-Person Access

In-person inquiries at the Nash County Courthouse allow individuals to achieve direct contact with the Clerk's Office staff to facilitate the retrieval of physical copies. Visitors also have access to free public terminals (kiosks) in the lobby area for reviewing civil or criminal cases filed in Nash County.

Mail and Phone Requests

Members of the public can forward formal requests for printed copies of court records to the following mailing address:

Nash County Courthouse

PO Box 759

Nashville, NC 27856

These inquiries are treated by the Superior Court Clerk's Office. Requesters will need to pay statutory copy fees (see below) and include sufficient case data to enable staff to locate and return the relevant copies. A self-addressed stamped envelope must also be enclosed for the return of the documents. The Clerk's Office can be reached at (252) 220-3000 for localized mailing and payment guidelines.

Fees for Court Records in Nash County

G.S. 7A-308 specifies statutory fees that apply when requesting court records in North Carolina, including in Nash County. These costs are also stated in the "Miscellaneous Court Costs" PDF document, linked on the state judiciary's Current Court Costs webpage.

  • Issuing a certificate under seal (i.e., a certified copy): $3 (G.S. 7A-308(a)(9)).
  • Preparing a photocopy: $2 for the first page, and 25 cents for each extra page or fraction issued after (G.S. 7A-308(a)(12)).
  • Exemplifying a record: $10 per document (G.S. 7A-308(a)(10)).
  • Conducting a criminal record search: $25 per report (G.S. 7A-308(a)(17))

Record searches conducted on the remote eCourts Portal or at the self-service public kiosks located inside the county courthouse remain completely free of charge.

Nash County Courthouse Locations

The Nash County judicial system operates a dual trial-court structure consisting of the Superior Court-the court of general trial jurisdiction, and the District Court-the court of limited jurisdiction. Together, both trial court levels possess the statutory powers to adjudicate all cases filed under North Carolina state law or local municipal ordinance within Nash County. The courts hear and resolve proceedings at a single, central location:

Nash County Courthouse

234 West Washington Street

Nashville, NC 27856

Phone: (252) 220-3000

Criminal Records Access in Nash County

Statewide access to comprehensive criminal histories across Nash County and all other North Carolina counties is provided through the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI). The NCSBI offers fingerprint-based background checks directly to the subject of a record for $14 per search (known as a "Right to Review"). Legally authorized agencies, such as specific employers and state licensing bodies, can also access NCSBI files. However, public review is restricted under G.S. 143B-1209.10 et seq.

For those who cannot access NCSBI records, an alternative pathway is provided through the judicial system. Clerks of the Superior Courts accept a completed Form AOC-CR-314-delivered by mail or in person-from anyone seeking charge and conviction records on themselves or others. The limitation of a court-certified criminal background check is that it is county-specific. To obtain a certified Nash County check, Form AOC-CR-314 should be transmitted to the local Clerk of the Superior Court's Office. Each name check costs $25.

Beyond court-certified checks, members of the public can also conduct uncertified criminal record checks via the remote North Carolina Judiciary eCourts Portal or at self-service courthouse kiosks located in the Nash County Courthouse.

Nash County Probate Records

Nash County probate records document the formal probate and protective (special) proceedings adjudicated by the local Clerk of the Superior Court. Under G.S. 28A-2-1, the Clerk is the ex officio judge of probate, holding the explicit duty to hear these proceedings and preserve the resulting filings and documentary materials. Cases heard by the Clerk include estate administrations, adoptions, incompetency matters, and legal name changes.

Following North Carolina's open records framework (codified in the G.S. 132-1 et seq., the state's Public Records Law), probate records are broadly accessible to the general public. Documents/filings such as probated wills, estate inventories, petitions, motions, creditors' claims, and guardianship reports can be freely inspected or copied by members of the public in person, via mail, or online (eCourts). However, access limitations apply to confidential information or specialized files, such as adoption records, safekeeping wills, minors' identities, and involuntary commitment documents.

Nash County Family Court Records

Family court records document the formal proceedings of a family court. Nash County, however, has no specialized "family court." Instead, all family law cases are adjudicated by the local District Court (G.S. 7A-244). The District Court maintains exclusive, original jurisdiction over absolute divorce, alimony (spousal support), child support, visitation rights, juvenile delinquency, child abuse & neglect, juvenile dependency, domestic violence, and termination of parental rights.

Family court records are ordinarily public in Nash County, similar to other civil court records. However, their contents often face greater redaction or statutory restrictions, given that the underlying cases routinely address sensitive domestic issues or identify minor children.

To obtain certified copies of any Nash County family court record, a formal application to the Clerk of the Superior Court is necessary (these copies cannot be retrieved through remote online channels).

Federal Court Records in Nash County

Statutory authority over federal cases arising in Nash County, North Carolina, is vested in the United States District Court, Eastern District of North Carolina. The court's Western Division (Raleigh), specifically, receives federal filings from Nash County.

Public access to federal court records is available through the fee-based PACER service, free self-service courthouse kiosks, or the federal clerk's office. The North Carolina Eastern District Court's Records Request page outlines available case research options through the clerk's office-and the Federal Records Center/National Archive Request for older archived records-plus the applicable fees.

Nash County Court