Find Henrico County Court Records

How to Search Henrico County Court Records

The fastest path begins at the Virginia Courts online services hub, not a third-party records site. The state divides its tools by function. OCIS 2.0 is the free statewide system for criminal and traffic case information. The General District Court Case Information system covers most Henrico traffic, misdemeanor, civil, small claims, and landlord-tenant cases, and it also takes online payments for eligible cases. Circuit Court Case Information covers participating circuit cases, including felony and major civil matters.

Have a few things ready before you search. A case number gives the cleanest result, since common names return many matches. A full legal name and an approximate filing date help when no case number exists.

OCIS does not accept payments, so do not use it to pay a ticket.

1. Open the Virginia Courts online services page and pick the system that matches your court level.
2. Select the court. Use Circuit Court for felonies, divorce, and major civil cases; General District Court for traffic, misdemeanors, and small claims.
3. Search by case number when you have it, because that is the most precise option.
4. Search by name or hearing date when you do not, then narrow by court and date.
5. For copies, certified copies, or document images, contact the Henrico Circuit Court Clerk.

Henrico County Court Records Search Fields

The statewide OCIS 2.0 system uses a small set of search fields. You accept the terms first, then choose how to search. The court level and locality filters let you focus on Henrico courts. The table below lists the fields the public system exposes.

OCIS is a JavaScript application, so some court options load only after you choose a court level.

Types of Henrico County Court Records

Henrico court records sort by court and by case type. The Circuit Court keeps the heavy files: felonies, divorce, wills, judgments, and land records. The General District Court keeps the high-volume files: traffic, misdemeanors, small claims, and landlord-tenant cases. The J&DR court keeps juvenile and family files, which are largely confidential.

Each court produces a distinct set of records.

• Civil Circuit Court records, such as complaints, motions, orders, judgments, and chancery matters.
• Civil General District records, such as warrants in debt, unlawful detainers, small claims, and garnishments.
• Criminal Circuit Court records, such as felony indictments, sentencing orders, and appealed cases.
• Criminal and traffic General District records, such as infractions, misdemeanors, and preliminary hearings.
• Family and probate records, such as divorce decrees, wills, and estate qualifications through the Clerk.

For dockets and hearing schedules, the Henrico County court dockets page breaks down each court's calendar.

What Henrico County Court Records Show

A public case result shows a standard set of fields. The display changes by court, but the core data is consistent. Treat the online view as case status, not the full file. Pleadings, orders, and exhibits usually require a clerk copy request.

Three terms matter here. Case status is the short public view. A case file is the full set of papers the clerk keeps. A certified copy is a clerk-issued copy fit for official use.

Public Access Framework for Henrico County Court Records

Virginia court records are open by default, but the rules are layered. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act covers public bodies and presumes records are open, with exemptions read narrowly. Court files also have their own statutes that often matter more than FOIA. For circuit court files, the inspection statute is the better citation.

The FOIA chapter sets the broad public-records framework for the Commonwealth.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act, Va. Code § 2.2-3700 et seq., guarantees access to public records and lets a requester ask for cost estimates in advance.

For circuit case files specifically, a dedicated statute controls public inspection at the clerk's office.

Under Va. Code § 17.1-208, the public may inspect records and papers in the circuit court clerk's office except where law restricts access.

Remote Access and Document Limits

Public case systems show status, not every scanned page. Henrico splits remote document access by record type and user class. Secure Remote Access to land records is subscription-only, runs through Logan Systems, and needs Clerk approval. Officer of the Court Remote Access, known as OCRA, lets attorneys view case files filed in 2014 forward without visiting the courthouse. The OCRA fee is $150 per year per attorney plus $50 per year for each supervised attorney or staff member.

The state defines the land-record remote-access framework by statute.

Va. Code § 17.1-292 defines circuit court land records and the limits on remote access that Henrico cites for its program.

A second statute sets the security standards remote systems must meet.

Va. Code § 17.1-294 covers secure remote access standards, which Henrico references for nonresident businesses and individuals seeking access.

For most members of the public, the practical route to a full document is still an in-person visit or a mailed copy request to the Circuit Court Clerk.

General District Court Records in Henrico County

The General District Court touches more residents than any other Henrico court, because traffic and misdemeanor cases run through it. Its records cover traffic infractions, misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings, small claims, garnishments, and landlord-tenant cases. The General District Court Case Information system supports name, case number, and hearing date searches, and it allows online payment for eligible cases.

A separate statute governs access to these lower-court records.

Va. Code § 16.1-69.54:1 governs inspection and copying of records in courts not of record, which includes the Henrico General District Court.

Traffic matters get their own deep dive on the Henrico County traffic court records page.

Records That Are Sealed or Confidential in Henrico County

Some Henrico court records are closed to ordinary searches. Juvenile court files are restricted under Va. Code § 16.1-305, so only parties, attorneys, authorized agencies, and court-approved people may view them. Adoption files require statutory authorization or a court order. Sealed and expunged adult records are kept out of public systems. Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and protected victim details are redacted.

Adult expungement is mainly a Circuit Court process.

A petitioner seeks expungement after an acquittal, a dismissal, a nolle prosequi, or identity misuse, subject to statute. The official expungement law has a version effective July 1, 2026, so check the current statute and court forms before filing.

In-Person Court Record Requests

When you need a full file or a certified copy, the Circuit Court Clerk's public counter in Room 240 is the place to go. The plain copy fee is $0.50 per page. Bring what identifies the case: court level, case number if known, party names, and an approximate date. Remember that phones and electronics are not allowed inside the Courts Building, so print what you need in advance.

Related Henrico County Record Searches

You may also need Henrico County court dockets, arrest records, traffic court records, public records, or details on the Circuit Court Clerk office.