North Carolina Civil Court Records

The state courts conduct most judicial activity in North Carolina due to its centralized legal system. The state's court system, also known as the General Court of Justice, has three divisions: the District Court Division, the Superior Court Division, and the Appellate Division.

The District Court Division and Superior Court Division are both trial courts. In this state, the District Court handles most matters involving claims of less than $25,000. On the other hand, the Superior Court deals with civil cases that cost more than $25,000.

The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals are part of the Appellate Division. The Supreme Court is the state's highest appellate court, while the Court of Appeals is an intermediate appellate court that decreases the Supreme Court's workload.

Can you get copies of North Carolina Civil Court Records? Per the North Carolina Public Records Law, you can access these records, which may be on a digital or electronic document.

A North Carolina Bankruptcy Record is a compilation of documents submitted to the court by a person during a bankruptcy proceeding.

In this state, a bankruptcy judge from a federal court handles bankruptcy cases.

North Carolina allows both individuals and businesses to file for bankruptcy. The most common types of bankruptcy are:

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

People file this type of bankruptcy if they want to get rid of all their debts and other duties that emerged because of financial obligations.

In this bankruptcy procedure, the state appoints a trustee to liquidate the debtor's assets, who can sell assets that are not subject to the North Carolina Bankruptcy Exemptions. Examples of such exceptions include:

• Insurance policies
• Partnership property
• Public benefits
• Business tools
• Salary received 60 days before the bankruptcy

However, a Chapter 7 bankruptcy cannot dismiss the following debts:

• Student loans
• Domestic responsibilities
• Tax responsibilities
• Criminal compensation
• Fraudulently acquired debt

In North Carolina, Chapter 7 bankruptcy filings must remain on a person's credit record for up to ten years under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

In North Carolina, corporate debtors, non-profits, and high-debtors file for this type of bankruptcy.

In Chapter 11 bankruptcy, a debtor has the legal right to keep doing business. The court can also approve new loans to help with a reorganization, which permits creditors to vote on a plan.

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

This type of bankruptcy filing lets the debtor make a plan to pay the loans back using future income. Additionally, it permits debtors to maintain ownership of non-exempt properties.

To qualify for the Chapter 13 bankruptcy filing procedure, you must have a steady source of income and the means to repay debts from disposable income.

In this state, bankruptcy filings stay on a debtor's credit report for seven years after the filing date.

Aside from these bankruptcy filings, there are also Chapter 9 bankruptcy, Chapter 12 bankruptcy, and Chapter 15 bankruptcy in North Carolina.

How To Find North Carolina Bankruptcy Records?

If you are interested in obtaining a North Carolina Bankruptcy Record, you must adhere to the specific guidelines for these public documents. In this state, there are two ways to get a bankruptcy record: in person and through the mail or online.

For in-person and mail requests, you must visit the clerk's office during business hours at the bankruptcy division in the debtor's county of domicile or incorporation.

You must ask for the official request form at the clerk's office or send a written request for the record. You can also send a request to the court by mail. Before mailing, you must identify the bankruptcy district court that processed the filing.

Alternatively, you can use the Public Access To Court Electronic Records (PACER) system to find bankruptcy records online. This system is accessible online from any personal computer or on public terminals at the courthouse.

You can start by creating a PACER account and providing billing information to get these records. You can then log in and look for the party's bankruptcy records using the name or case number.

North Carolina Bankruptcy Records usually have the following information:

• The debtor's name
• Filing status
• Business connections
• Chapter of the bankruptcy filing
• List of creditors
• Relevant dates
• Bankruptcy attorneys' names and contact information
• The trustee's contact information
• The presiding judge's name

North Carolina Civil Court Records include property liens, which creditors and lenders utilize to secure debt payments.

By placing this lien on the property, the debtor's assets become collateral security that creditors can utilize to recover payment if the debtor defaults or declares bankruptcy.

The most common types of property liens in North Carolina are:

Judgment Lien

In North Carolina, this property lien is a judicial claim on an obligated party's assets that stays attached as public information until the indebted party pays the amount in full.

To get a judgment lien in this state, you must file a complaint with the Superior Court, which has the right to hear the case. Part of the procedure should entail serving the court order and hearing the case.

Mortgage Lien

In this state, a mortgage lien applies to people who get credit to buy essential property like a house or a car.

After the filing, this property lien will continue to be in place until the debtor pays off the debt and release the property.

UCC Lien

Like other states, North Carolina adopted the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), a federal code that governs business transactions in the U.S.

With this filing, creditors have a significant advantage in assuring priority payment if there is a procedure involving foreclosure or bankruptcy.

In addition to these property liens, the North Carolina Property Lien Records may also contain tax and mechanic's liens.

How To Check North Carolina Property Lien Records?

In North Carolina, different agencies are in charge of various public records. Each of these agencies gives people interested in free lien searches in their part of the state.

Thus, to obtain these property lien records, you must visit the local Register of Deeds or the Clerk's Office at the Superior Court to enquire about these documents.

Additionally, you can conduct a free lien search by visiting the websites of these offices and using the search tools offered on the websites.

However, note that these agencies charge for making copies of the records. Therefore, you must pay this price to get certified documents.

Any actions or behaviors that violate one or more of North Carolina's traffic regulations are in the state's Civil Driving Violation Records.

In North Carolina, some examples of civil driving violations are:

• Roadway littering
• Making wrong turns
• Over speeding
• Faulty vehicular equipment
• Illegal parking
• Seat belt offenses
• Failing to signal
• Not stopping or giving way

The actions that make up these offenses are against the law but do not result in jail time. These are mostly minor offenses, so the punishments are usually just financial penalties, penalty points, or community work.

How To Look Up North Carolina Civil Driving Violation Records?

In general, the court in this state maintains North Carolina Civil Driving Violation Records and makes them readily available for inspection.

To access these records, you can use the public terminals at the Clerk of Court's Office or visit this office in the courthouse of the driver's county of conviction.

In North Carolina, the only way to seek a civil traffic violation record is by using specific identifiers assigned to the form. These identifiers include the case number and the names of the individuals involved.

The North Carolina Legal Judgment Records are the official evidence of a court's final decision regarding a dispute. It primarily includes the names and addresses of the parties, the kind of judgment made, the filing date, and the remedy granted.

In this state, the filing of a court judgment concludes a lawsuit. This legal judgment is a court's resolution of a case or controversy brought before it. Additionally, it outlines who wins and who loses in a contested matter and what the winning party is eligible for under the law.

You can study the General Statutes of North Carolina, which explain the laws about judgment. These laws govern the state's entry, vacating, enforcement, and appeal of decisions.

How To Look Up North Carolina Legal Judgment Records?

In North Carolina, there are several ways to access legal judgment records. But in general, you must visit the appropriate Clerk of Court's office to locate and acquire accurate records.

Whether you wish to discover more about a legal judgment or check its amount, the clerk's office staff can help you find the necessary information. Most of the time, the clerk won't charge you anything to look at a judgment. But some costs come with making copies of these records.

You can also access these records remotely through the Remote Public Access Program made available by the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts (NCAOC).

This tool will allow you to retrieve legal judgment records in bulk (extracts) or real-time (online access). Before the NCAOC provides you a pass to access these records, you must submit a valid licensing agreement and pay the appropriate costs for each method.

After you have this record, you can expect to see the following:

• The names of the parties
• The name of the judge
• The court's decision
• The date of the verdict
• The specific claims made by each party

Small Claims Records of North Carolina Small Court Records provide all information related to small claims cases.

In North Carolina, Small Claims Courts have authority over small civil cases. These legal cases usually include money disputes or parties seeking compensation for injuries or losses. This court can also meet and make decisions in the following circumstances:

• Security deposit disputes
• Loan repayment
• Contractual breach
• Collection of debt
• Accusations of libel
• Claims for personal injuries
• Tenant eviction
• Reclaiming personal property
• Unjustified arrests

In North Carolina, you can take someone to Small Claims Court by filing a lawsuit in the county where the accused lives. To file a complaint, you must go to the Clerk of Court's Office, fill out the suitable forms, and turn them in.

You must file a Complaint for Money Owed form if you claim to get your money back. But if you want to get back personal property, you can file a Complaint to Recover Possession of Personal Property form.

After filing, North Carolina Small Claims Records will include case outcomes, parties, and claims amounts.

How To Look Up North Carolina Small Claims Records?

Court Clerks in the District Courts of North Carolina maintain small claims records and offer access to these files upon request.

So, if you are interested in locating and receiving these documents, submit a request to the appropriate District Court Clerk's Office.

This court directory in the state can help you find the correct locations of local courthouses.

In this state, divorce is a civil case and a public record. North Carolina, like other states, requires one spouse to have lived there for at least six months and been physically separated from their marriage for at least a year before filing for divorce.

Check out this packet to learn more about how divorce works in this state. It has divorce forms you might need, an explanation of how divorce works, and a glossary of terms you might come across if you decide to divorce.

After filing for divorce in this state, the court of jurisdiction will place the relevant material in North Carolina Divorce Court Records, which can be in the following forms:

Divorce Certificate

This type of divorce court record is a simple piece of paper that shows that a marriage has ended. The divorce certificate lists the former spouses, the date, and the location.

In North Carolina, these divorce court records are available to everyone. Divorcees often request this document when seeking a new marriage certificate or changing their name.

Divorce Decree

Also known as a divorce judgment, this sort of divorce court paper includes general details as well as the divorce case's decision and terms, which include:

• Custody
• Property division
• Alimony
• Child Support
• Schedule of visits

Unlike a divorce certificate, this court record is only accessible to the individuals involved and their legal professionals.

Divorce Record

A North Carolina Divorce Record is the complete record made during a divorce proceeding. It has the most information, from divorce papers to divorce decrees and other divorce documents.

In this state, accessing this kind of record costs money and requires proof of identity, but it is usually a public record and is accessible from the Clerk of Courts and the state Vital Records Office (VRO).

How To Look Up North Carolina Divorce Court Records?

If you want to look at and get divorce court records in North Carolina, you should go to the VRO, which keeps divorce court records from 1958 to the present. You can visit this office or send a letter asking for these records.

Besides VRO, there is no nationwide registry in North Carolina where you can find divorce court records.

Fortunately, every county's Clerk of Court also maintains divorce court records from before 1958. But there is a Civil Case Processing System (VCAP) in every clerk of the court's office. To use this system, you need to know the names of the people involved in the lawsuit or the case number.

The VCAP user handbook, which describes how the system operates and how to retrieve files, is also available online.

Probate is a judicially legal method that allows the personal representative or another close family member to assemble the deceased person's assets, pay bills and taxes, and transfer assets to the inheritors.

The most common probate cases in this state are the following:

• Will
• Trusts
• Estates
• Bonds

But in North Carolina, probate is not always needed after someone dies. There are certain assets in this state that do not need to go through probate, and they include the following:

• Assets owned by two or more people
• Retirement accounts
• Payouts from life insurance or pensions
• Assets in a revocable living trust

The probate process starts at the office of the Clerk of Superior Court in the county where the person who died lived. North Carolina's probate process is simple, and the state court system offers various online forms.

If you want to learn more about probate in this state, you can read Chapter 28A of the North Carolina Statutes, which is about the administration of estates.

Where do you find North Carolina Probate Court Records? In this state, you can get copies of probate court records from the clerk of the Superior Court in the county that handled the case.

The best way to find or access North Carolina Civil Court Records is through public, self-service terminals located at the county clerks' offices throughout the state. On these self-service terminals, you can find civil court documents in two ways: by searching through party names or file numbers.

If you don't know the file numbers, you can use party name search to find information in court records at public self-service terminals. To run the search, you can use all or a portion of the party's name.

You can also search for civil court records by file number, which is easy and the best way to find what you need. But remember that you can't use file numbers to search the whole state or in more than one county.

Moreover, you can access these records by consulting the appropriate sources. If interested, submit requests in person at the courthouses with possession of the relevant documents.

However, before visiting the courthouses, you must call the clerks' offices and be willing to pay a modest price for searching and copying these files.