Johnston County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Johnston County, North Carolina, was created on June 28, 1746, from part of Craven County. It was named after Gabriel Johnston, North Carolina's royal governor. Part of the Raleigh-Cary Metropolitan Statistical Area, it has over 215,999 people living within its 795.65 square miles area. Smithfield is its county seat, while Clayton is its largest municipality. The court system in Johnston County comprises both Superior and District Courts. Both courts play vital roles in meeting the legal needs of its residents.

The Johnston County Superior Court in Smithfield is the highest in the county and hears civil cases with claims exceeding $25,000, all felonies, misdemeanors, and infraction appeals from the District Court. The Johnston County District Court hears misdemeanors, infractions without a jury, civil cases with claims less than $10,000, traffic violation offenses, and preliminary hearings for felonies. It also hears family law and juvenile matters, such as adoption, termination of parental rights, child support, divorce, dependency, and juvenile delinquency.

The crime rate in Johnston County is 1,455.3 crimes per 100,000 population. There are about 278 criminal and 3,500 civil cases disposed of by the county's courts. The Johnston County Court's Clerk maintains the court records in compliance with the law. Members of the public can visit the office of the Clerk to view or request copies of non-confidential court records. Also, the self-service terminals located at the Clerk's Office can be used to search for criminal cases. In addition, non-confidential court records from Johnston County are accessible online via the eCourts portal. However, some court documents are sealed and considered confidential due to the sensitivity of information and privacy concerns and cannot be accessed by the public. They require an in-person visit with the County Clerk as well as a court order or permission from authorized personnel and they include:

• Mental health records
• Adoption records
• Identifying information about jurors
• personal information such as social security numbers, driver's license numbers, passport numbers, and financial details

In summary, Johnston County's court system is a major component of the county's government. It is committed to providing justice for all legal issues through timely and efficient judicial administration. The public's trust in the judicial system is bolstered by the county's open and honest handling of court documents. Also, by offering easy electronic access to the court records, the county ensures transparency and compliance with public information laws.