| Superior Court | Orange Superior Court — Civil Division |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | 5 Court Street, Chelsea, VT 05038 (all divisions) |
| Phone | All divisions: 802-685-4610 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except holidays; closed the second Friday of each month, 8:00 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) |
Orange County's Superior Court unit is one of Vermont's smallest and most consolidated: all four divisions — Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate — operate from the county courthouse at 5 Court Street in the village of Chelsea, share one phone number, and are run by a single Court Operations Manager. As in every Vermont county, there is no separate "county clerk" for court records; the Superior Court unit is the record holder for everything filed in the county, and a Probate Register handles estate, guardianship, and adoption filings.
Only the Civil Division docket is searchable by the public online, through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. Criminal, family, and probate records are confidential from the general public online under 12 V.S.A. § 5, so those requests go through a phone call, an email to OrangeUnit@vtcourts.gov, or a visit to Chelsea.
Orange County stretches along the Connecticut River and the White River valley in east-central Vermont and includes Randolph, Bradford, Thetford, Williamstown, and Chelsea itself. Chelsea is a small village well off the interstate, so plan travel time accordingly; the courthouse observes the statewide holiday calendar and closes the second Friday of each month from 8:00 a.m. to noon for staff training.
Search Orange County court records online
Superior Court
Orange 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 Orange County; the only division here searchable by the public online
- Records
- Civil
Run by the unit's Court Operations Manager. Contact this office for civil, small-claims, foreclosure, and eviction case records.
Other courts
Orange Superior Court — Criminal Division
- Coverage
- Felony and misdemeanor criminal case records for Orange County
- Records
- Criminal
Not searchable online by the public; contact the Court Operations Manager or visit 5 Court Street, Chelsea.
Other courts
Orange Superior Court — Family Division
- Coverage
- Divorce, parentage, custody, relief-from-abuse, and juvenile case records for Orange County
- Records
- Family
Confidential by statute; not searchable online by the public.
Other courts
Orange Superior Court — Probate Division
- Coverage
- Estates, guardianship, adoption, and name-change records for Orange County
- Records
- Probate
Handled by a Probate Register at the same Chelsea courthouse.
What is available online
The Vermont Judiciary Public Portal shows Civil Division docket entries and calendars for Orange 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. With one small courthouse handling every division, a phone call to 802-685-4610 before you travel to Chelsea is the fastest way to learn whether a file is on site or has to be retrieved.
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
Orange County clerk offices
5 Court Street, Chelsea, VT 05038 (all divisions)
Phone: All divisions: 802-685-4610
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., except holidays; closed the second Friday of each month, 8:00 a.m.–noon, for in-service training.
Civil Division. Search the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal, or call or visit 5 Court Street in Chelsea. Copies can be requested in person, by mail, or by email; certified copies cost $5.00 per document under the statewide fee schedule.
Criminal Division. Contact the Criminal Division at the same courthouse, since case information is not online. Bring the docket number if you have it, or the defendant's name and an approximate date.
Family Division. Contact the Family Division at 5 Court 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 Register at 5 Court Street for estate, guardianship, adoption, or name-change records. Adoption files are sealed and generally unavailable except to the parties.
By email. All four divisions accept email at OrangeUnit@vtcourts.gov; using it means agreeing to the Vermont Superior Court email policy posted on each division's page.
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 an Orange County, Vermont 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 Orange County courthouse?
All four divisions — Civil, Criminal, Family, and Probate — are at 5 Court Street, Chelsea, VT 05038, and share the phone number 802-685-4610.
Who handles probate matters in Orange County?
The Probate Division of the Orange Superior Court in Chelsea, which has a Probate Register for estates, guardianships, adoptions, and name changes.
How do I get a certified copy of an Orange County court record?
Contact the division that heard the case in person, by phone, by email, or by mail. Certified copies cost $5.00 per document plus per-page copy fees under the statewide fee schedule.
Sources
- Orange Civil Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/orange-civil-division
- Orange Criminal Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/orange-criminal-division
- Orange Family Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/orange-family-division
- Orange Probate Division — Vermont Judiciary — https://www.vtcourts.gov/court-locations/orange-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.