Wake County court records are the official documentation of events in civil or criminal court proceedings. They include briefs, transcripts, petitions, motions, orders, judgments, etc.
InWake County, North Carolina, court records are maintained by the clerks of county courts, regardless of the type of court they are in. The Clerk’s Office makes court documents accessible to the general public to foster transparency in the judicial system and ensure accurate record-keeping to preserve legal history. Preserving legal history helps the courts to keep track of developments, enforce court judgments, and check the excesses of the judiciary.
Are Court Records Public in Wake County?
Yes. According to theNorth Carolina Public Records Law, every person has the right to view, inspect, and request copies of all records filed or received by a government agency in the state while conducting public business. The law requires such public agencies to make public records available promptly at a reasonable time. This law applies to all government documents irrespective of form, whether physical, paper, digital, email, audio or video recordings, letters, books, photographs, or maps.
However, court records may be restricted from public disclosure if they contain any items described in §132-1.1 and 132-1.2 of the North Carolina Public Records Law. These include written communication protected by the attorney-client relationship, tax information about a taxpayer’s income, personal information about a participant in the Address Confidentiality Program Information, trade secrets, security information maintained by the secretary of state, an individual’s signature, driver’s license number, and social security number, etc.
Wake County Court Records Search
Members of the public may find Wake County court records at:
- The Wake County originating courthouse
- The office of the court clerk where the case was filed
- eCourts Portal
- Third-party Public Records websites.
Wake County Court Records Search by Name
To conduct a Wake County court record search by name, visit the public access terminal at the county courthouse or the clerk's office in the court where the case was filed. While viewing court records may be free, requestors must cover the cost of reproducing copies of court records.
Generally, anyone can request case information at the courthouse, except where special requirements apply (e.g., for birth, death, marriage, or adoption records). The requester may be required to fill out a request or application form and submit a valid means of identification. Furthermore, the requestor must provide the necessary details to facilitate record search and retrieval, including the name of the parties in the record, the attorney's name, the case filing date, and the case number.
Wake County courts do not have online case management systems. However, the North Carolina eCourts initiative has helped create digital access to court records and documents. Researchers may conduct a name-based record search on theeCourts Smart Search portal. In addition to the party's name, one may search by case numbers, business names, attorney names, attorney bar numbers, nicknames, and case cross-reference numbers.
Wake County Courts
The Wake County judicial system comprises a superior court, small claims court, and district court, which have various divisions that handle family law, probate, civil disputes, criminal prosecutions (felonies, misdemeanors, traffic infractions, and other simple offenses), medical and professional negligence, and other matters.
Below are the addresses and contact information of courts in Wake County:
Supreme Court of North Carolina
2 East Morgan Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 831-5700
United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
Suite 174
310 New Bern Avenue
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 645-1700
Wake County Courthouse (Superior Court)
Suite 2050
316 Fayetteville Street
Raleigh, MC 27601
Phone: (919) 792-4000
Wake County Justice Center
Suite 1700
300 South Salisbury Street
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 856-5460
Wake County Small Claims Court
316 Fayetteville Street
Raleigh, MC 27601
Phone: (919) 792-4175
North Carolina Business Court
225 Hillsborough St #303,
Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: (919) 716-5400
Wake County Superior Court Case Search
The Wake County Superior Court has original jurisdiction over felonies, civil disputes over $25,000, and appeals from the District Court or other county courts. The clerk of the superior court is responsible for creating, filing, and indexing court case information and records.
Case information about civil, criminal, special proceedings, or appeals in the Wake County Circuit Court can be accessed on the public access terminals in the clerk of the circuit court’s office. Individuals maycontactthe superior court clerk for all inquiries or questions relating to such records, their status (confidential or public), copying fees, availability, or requirements for access.
Researchers may also send a request for public records by mail. The mail should include the name and address of the sender, information about the court record(s) they seek, and all applicable search and copying fees in the form of a certified check or money order made payable to the Wake County Clerk of the Superior Court. The information provided must identify a particular record; otherwise, the request will be rejected. It should contain the name of the party(s), case number, location of the court where the case was filed, case type, the filing date range, and any other information required by the superior court clerk.
Mailing Address:
Clerk of the Superior Court
Wake County Courthouse
P.O. Box 351
Raleigh, MC 27602-0351.
The Superior Court now uses theeCourt Portalto provide electronic access to court records and case information online. Court records not available on this website will be available at the superior court clerk's office.
The eCourt portal allows the public access to all public records and civil, family, and probate cases. Its advanced search feature will enable users to filter superior court records by case type, status, gender, ethnicity, date of birth, booking number, and case number. Such advanced search features help the user streamline their search to be more precise. Also, it allows researchers to look up case information in other counties in North Carolina. There are no fees required to view or access court information on eCourts.
Wake County District Court Records
The United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina is the district court in Wake County. The court has exclusive jurisdiction over misdemeanors, juvenile proceedings, mental health issues, civil disputes less than $10000, family law and domestic relations cases, and magistrate matters. Court records filed in the district court may be accessed at the courthouse through the district court clerk.
Wake County Criminal Records
Concerned persons may also find Wake County arrest records at the Wake County sheriff’s office or the City-County Bureau of Identification (CCBI)arrest portal. CCBI provides certified copies of arrest records via mail or in person for a $15 fee. In-person visitors mustschedule an appointment.
City-County Bureau of Identification (CCBI)
Attn: Arrest Records
3301 Hammond Road
Raleigh, NC 27603.
Individuals may also perform a Wake County criminal history search at the superior court clerk's office. Individuals may request personal criminal history records or check the criminal records of others. To obtain criminal records, complete and printForm AOC-CR-314and submit it with a $25 fee to the superior court clerk physically or via mail. For mail requests, the fee may be paid by money order or certified checks (not personal checks), while for physical submissions, the requester can choose to pay in cash, with a credit card, certified check, or money order.
Wake County Criminal Court Case Lookup
Criminal court case information in Wake County may be retrieved from the courthouse where the case was heard, or the final verdict was given. Researchers can also find criminal case records on the eCourts portal under Wake County.
Get Wake County Civil Court Records
In Wake County, civil court records are made or filed in cases involving private individuals or businesses, such as tenancy issues, lawsuits, professional negligence, private nuisance, defamation, trespass, breach of contractual duties, insurance claims, family relationships, estate administration, debt, and property-related disputes. Any court in Wake County where the case is filed or initiated may be the custodian of a civil court record.
Case information about civil proceedings in Wake County may be accessed at the records room or public terminals in the office of the clerk in any court and the superior court clerk. Civil court records are also available on the North Carolina eCourts portal.
Wake County Family Court Records
The Wake County district court has exclusive jurisdiction over family law cases or disputes. Family court records contain case information created or filed during hearings on child custody and visitation rights, adoption, domestic violence, divorce, child abuse or neglect, child support, paternity, spousal maintenance, separation, financial settlements, and termination of parental rights.
Requests for family court records may be directed to Wake County Superior Court or the district court, depending on where the case was filed, adjudicated, or appealed. Note, however, that family court records may not be accessible to just anyone. In most cases, requests may only be approved for the individuals directly involved in the case: parents and legal guardians, their attorneys, or their legal representatives.
Wake Dissolution of Marriage Records
Wake County Dissolution of Marriage Records may include divorce records or annulments. Interested persons may contact or visit the clerk of the Superior Court to confirm the record's availability and formal procedures and requirements for getting access to it. The Wake County Superior Court does not provide online access to divorce records. Information on such proceedings may be available at the public access terminals at the courthouse where the proceeding took place or the court clerk's office.
Wake County Marriage and Divorce Records
The Wake County Register of Deeds offers physical and online access to Wake County Marriage Records. One may obtain a certified copy of the Wake County Marriage Certificate for $10 from the office of the Register of Deeds or any other authorized regional or service centers listed below.
The requester will be required to complete an application form and present a valid ID card for identification (usually a driver’s license or passport). Persons authorized to apply for and get a copy of a marriage certificate include:
- The subject of the record
- An immediate family member (spouse, siblings, parents, legal guardians, step-family member, or offspring)
- A person seeking judgment in court over personal or property rights
- The legal representative, attorney, or agent of the person named in the record.
Anyone in the class listed above can apply for and receive a marriage certificate. They may also request acertified marriage certificate onlineor send a mail request to the Register of Deeds. Mail requests must include anapplication form, a copy of the requester’s passport or driver's license, and a $10 check or money order. The record may be delivered to the recipient between seven to 14 working days.
Interested persons may obtain copies of Wake County divorce records from the clerk of the superior court.
Wake Birth and Death Records
TheWake County Register of Deedsissues official copies of Wake County birth and death certificates. For $10, individuals can request a copy of Wake County birth and death certificates from 1971 at the Register of Deeds main office or any of its regional or service centers.
The applicant must be the individual named on the record, an immediate family member (spouses, siblings, parents, step-relatives, children, or grandchildren), an authorized or legal representative, or a person seeking legal action over personal or property rights. Such applicants must present their driver's license or a valid passport.
The Wake County Register of Deeds also facilitatesonline access to birth and death records. Online requests are usually processed within two days and delivered to the receiver in seven to 14 working days. To make an online request, complete theapplication formand mail it along with a copy of your driver's license or passport and a money order or check for $10 payable to the Register of Deeds.
Wake County Register of Deeds
300 South Salisbury Street, 1st Floor
Wake County Justice Center
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 856-5460
Wake County Probate Court Records
Wake County probate courts handle the estate administration of a deceased person to give legal effect to the decedent's will or distribute their property in line with intestacy laws. Wake County probate court records are filed by the superior court clerk in an estate hearing. Information about probate cases in Wake County can be accessed at the Superior Court Clerk’s office or through the court clerk's case management website.
Additionally, probate court records for year’s allowance, summary administration, and small estate administration cases filed at eCourt Counties like Wake County are available oneCourt’s Smart Search Portal.
Wake County Property Records
Residents can find property records on theWake County Register of Deeds Consolidated Real Property Index. The Wake County Register of Deeds office primarily records and indexes real property transactions, such as deeds, survey and highway maps, nuptial agreements, restrictive covenants, and other documents.
Wake County also uploadsreal estate property data filescontaining property ownership, description, and sale information for all real estate parcels. Other property data files, statistics, and reports available online include tax bill files, multi-family and single-family residential data files, personal property data files, tax collection receipts, building permit data, a yearly index of properties sold, and tax levies or other property tax records. ‘Wake County Register of Deeds
300 South Salisbury Street, 1st Floor
Wake County Justice Center
Raleigh, NC 27601
Phone: (919) 856-5460
Wake County Court Records Online
Third-party sites are viable alternatives for finding court records. Unlike the official resources listed above, third-party search sites likecourtrecords.usare privately owned and are not affiliated with the government. Furthermore, third-party search sites have no geographical restrictions so that researchers may find court records filed in other jurisdictions. This feature is more convenient as it offers a broader search reach.
A searcher must know the party's full name, case/docket number, and court location to look up case information. While it is possible to see summary case information for free, access to more case details requires payment. In some cases, the user may need to be registered or subscribed. In other cases, the researcher may have to pay per search or monthly or annual subscription fees.
When using third-party sites, remember that there is no guarantee of the accuracy or currency of the information obtained. Thus, the records obtained from these sites may not be used for official purposes like background checks for employment or tenant screening. However, one may use the records to satisfy personal curiosity.
