| Superior Court | Franklin Superior Court — Civil Division |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | 17 Church Street, St. Albans, VT 05478 (Percival Shangraw Courthouse — Civil & Probate Divisions); 36 Lake Street, St. Albans, VT 05478 (Criminal & Family Divisions) |
| Phone | Civil Division: 802-524-7993; Probate Division: 802-524-4112; Criminal/Family Divisions: 802-524-7997 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except holidays; closed the last Monday of each month, 9:00 a.m.–noon, for in-service training. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.25 per page, $1.00 minimum |
| Certified copy fee | $5.00 per document (plus $0.25/page if the certified copy is provided to a non-party) |
Franklin County's Superior Court unit is split between two St. Albans buildings. The Civil Division and Probate Division are at the Percival Shangraw Courthouse, 17 Church Street, while the Criminal Division and Family Division are a short distance away at 36 Lake Street. There is no separate "county clerk" for court records; each division has its own Court Operations Manager, and probate additionally has a distinct Clerk of Court and Probate Register.
The Civil Division is the only division whose case records the public can search online, through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. Criminal, family, and probate records are confidential from the public online under 12 V.S.A. § 5, so requests for those records go through the specific division by phone, email, or an in-person visit.
Franklin County includes St. Albans, Swanton, Fairfax, and Georgia. All four divisions close the last Monday of each month from 9:00 a.m. to noon for staff training, in addition to standard state holidays.
Search Franklin County court records online
Superior Court
Franklin Superior Court — Civil Division
- Cost
- Free to review the docket in person or through the statewide portal; copy fees apply
- Coverage
- Civil Division case records for Franklin County; the only division here searchable by the public online
- Records
- Civil
Run by a Court Operations Manager. Contact this office for civil, small-claims, and eviction case records.
Other courts
Franklin Superior Court — Criminal Division
- Coverage
- Felony and misdemeanor criminal case records for Franklin County
- Records
- Criminal
Not searchable online by the public; contact the Court Operations Manager or visit 36 Lake Street, St. Albans.
Other courts
Franklin Superior Court — Family Division
- Coverage
- Divorce, parentage, custody, relief-from-abuse, and juvenile case records for Franklin County
- Records
- Family
Confidential by statute; not searchable online by the public. Shares the 36 Lake Street courthouse with Criminal.
Other courts
Franklin Superior Court — Probate Division
- Coverage
- Estates, guardianship, adoption, and name-change records for Franklin County
- Records
- Probate
Handled by a separate Clerk of Court and Probate Register at the Percival Shangraw Courthouse, 17 Church Street.
What is available online
The Vermont Judiciary Public Portal shows Civil Division docket entries and calendars for Franklin County. Criminal, family, and probate cases are not shown to the public online under 12 V.S.A. § 5. Registered Vermont attorneys get broader online access to nonconfidential records in those divisions through the same portal. Civil and Probate share the Percival Shangraw Courthouse, while Criminal and Family are at a separate Lake Street address — confirm the location before visiting.
Which clerk has your record
In Vermont, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Vermont page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Superior Court — Civil Division | Contract and debt disputes; Personal injury; Foreclosure and eviction | Court Operations Manager of the county unit |
| Superior Court — Criminal Division | Felony and misdemeanor prosecutions; DUI; Bail and arraignment | Court Operations Manager of the county unit |
| Superior Court — Family Division | Divorce and civil union dissolution; Parentage and custody; Child support | Court Operations Manager of the county unit |
| Superior Court — Probate Division | Estates and wills; Guardianship; Adoption | Clerk of the Probate Division (with a Probate Register handling filings) |
| Environmental Division | Act 250 land-use appeals; Municipal zoning and planning appeals; Environmental enforcement | Court Operations Manager, Environmental Division (statewide, sits in Barre) |
| Judicial Bureau | Traffic tickets; Municipal ordinance violations; Minor civil violations (e.g., underage alcohol/tobacco) | Court Operations Manager, Judicial Bureau (statewide) |
Request records in person or by mail
Franklin County clerk offices
17 Church Street, St. Albans, VT 05478 (Percival Shangraw Courthouse — Civil & Probate Divisions); 36 Lake Street, St. Albans, VT 05478 (Criminal & Family Divisions)
Phone: Civil Division: 802-524-7993; Probate Division: 802-524-4112; Criminal/Family Divisions: 802-524-7997
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except holidays; closed the last Monday of each month, 9:00 a.m.–noon, for in-service training.
Civil Division. Search the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal, or call or visit the Percival Shangraw Courthouse, 17 Church Street. Copies can be requested in person or by mail; certified copies cost $5.00 per document under the statewide fee schedule.
Criminal Division. Contact the Criminal Division at 36 Lake Street, since case information is not online. Bring the docket number if you have it, or the defendant's name and approximate date.
Family Division. Contact the Family Division, also at 36 Lake Street. Because family cases are confidential, ask the Court Operations Manager what is available to a member of the public before visiting.
Probate Division. Contact the Probate Division at 17 Church Street for estate, guardianship, adoption, or name-change records. Adoption files are sealed and generally unavailable except to the parties.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Vermont |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.25 per page, $1.00 minimum |
| Certified copy | $5.00 per document (plus $0.25/page if the certified copy is provided to a non-party) |
Set under 32 V.S.A. § 1751 and published on the Vermont Judiciary's fee page; some proceedings (for example, two certified copies of an adoption decree or a name-change order) carry no fee. Confirm the current amount with the Court Operations Manager before sending payment, since fee statutes can change.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Vermont limits public access to court records in two separate ways: by statute, entire categories of case records are simply never posted online, and separately, individual records can be sealed or expunged by court order.
The Vermont guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
Can I look up a Franklin County court case online?
Only Civil Division cases are searchable online, through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. Criminal, family, and probate cases are not posted online for the public under state law.
Where is the Franklin County criminal court?
The Criminal Division and Family Division are both at 36 Lake Street, St. Albans — a different building from the Civil and Probate Divisions at the Percival Shangraw Courthouse on Church Street.
Who handles probate matters in Franklin County?
The Probate Division of the Franklin Superior Court, at 17 Church Street, handles estates, guardianships, adoptions, and name changes for the county.
How do I get a certified copy of a Franklin County court record?
Contact the specific division that heard the case in person, by phone, or by mail. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus per-page copy fees under the statewide fee schedule.
Sources
- Franklin Civil Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/franklin-civil-division
- Franklin Criminal Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/franklin-criminal-division
- Franklin Family Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/franklin-family-division
- Franklin Probate Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/franklin-probate-division
- Vermont Judiciary — Organizational Charts — https://www.vtcourts.gov/about-vermont-judiciary/organizational-charts
- Vermont Judiciary Public Portal — https://portal.vtcourts.gov/Portal/?p=0
- Vermont Crime Information Center — Record Checks — https://vcic.vermont.gov/ch-information/record-checks
- Vermont Supreme Court — Published Opinions and Entry Orders — https://www.vtcourts.gov/supreme-court/published-opinions-and-entry-orders
- Vermont Judiciary — Fees — https://www.vtcourts.gov/fees
- Vermont Judiciary — Expunging and Sealing Criminal Records — https://www.vtcourts.gov/criminal/expungement
- 12 V.S.A. § 5 — Dissemination of Electronic Case Records — https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/12/001/00005
- 13 V.S.A. Chapter 230 — Expungement and Sealing of Criminal History Records — https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/chapter/13/230
- 32 V.S.A. § 1751 — Judiciary Record Fees — https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/32/001/01751
- United States District Court for the District of Vermont — https://www.vtd.uscourts.gov/
See also: all Vermont counties.