Mecklenburg County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Mecklenburg County was established in 1762 and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, former Queen of Great Britain. Its county seat is the City of Charlotte. The county has a population of over 1.12 million residents, making it North Carolina's second most populous county. The county also has a land area of about 524 square miles. Mecklenburg County has two trial courts: the Superior and the District Courts.

The Superior Court in Mecklenburg County presides over criminal and civil lawsuits outside the District Court's jurisdiction. General civil claims above $25,000 and felony proceedings are exclusive to the Superior Court. The highest trial court also handles District Court appeals involving infractions and misdemeanors. Mecklenburg's District Court has Civil, Criminal, Juvenile, and Magistrate Divisions. The Criminal Division hears only non-jury criminal proceedings involving infractions and misdemeanors. On the other hand, the Civil Division oversees divorce cases, child custody, domestic violence protection cases, and all civil claims below $25,000. The Juvenile Division handles delinquency, child neglect/abuse, and dependency cases, while the Mecklenburg County magistrate hears small claims lawsuits for $10,000 or less and landlord-tenant cases.

According to the NC Bureau of Investigation, about 40,000 criminal offenses occur annually in Mecklenburg County. The crime rate in the county reduced from 4,213 crimes per 100,000 persons in 2018 to 3,849 crimes per 100,000 persons in 2022. The Clerk of Superior Court maintains all court records in Mecklenburg County. Requesters can use the contact directory to inquire about public case files from the Court Clerk. They can also use the eCourts Portal to find online court records created after October 9, 2023. Case files created before 2023 are obtainable via email requests. Cases dealing with juvenile, adoption and custodial matters, medical and ental health records, as well as any personal identifying information are sealed. Note that court documents sealed by court orders or confidential under state/federal laws are not publicly accessible. In order to gain access to these particular records, an in-person visit with the County Clerk would be required. This will ensure the proper navigation through the process of obtaining a court order or special permission to view records.

In summary, the Superior and District Courts form the Mecklenburg County judiciary. Collectively, these trial courts administer justice fairly, efficiently, and impartially. Court records are publicly accessible to foster trust and keep residents engaged with the legal system.