| Circuit Court Clerk | Arlington Circuit Court Clerk's Office |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Circuit Court Clerk: Arlington County Justice Center, 1425 N. Courthouse Road, 6th Floor, Arlington, VA 22201 (Civil Suite 6700; Criminal Suite 6100; Land Records Suite 6200; Probate Suite 6300) |
| Phone | Circuit Court Clerk Civil Division: (703) 228-7010 (Criminal (703) 228-4399; Land Records (703) 228-4369; Probate (703) 228-4376) |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| Plain copy fee | $0.50 per page (per Va. Code § 17.1-275, the statewide circuit court fee schedule) |
| Certified copy fee | $0.50 per page plus a $2.00 certification/seal fee (per Va. Code § 17.1-275) |
Arlington County is the smallest county in Virginia by land area and one of the densest in the country, and its court system is correspondingly compact: the Circuit Court (17th Judicial Circuit), the General District Court, and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court all sit in the Arlington County Justice Center at 1425 N. Courthouse Road, a short walk from the Court House Metro station. The Circuit Court Clerk, Paul Ferguson, runs the office on the sixth floor, with civil, criminal, land-records, and probate divisions in separate suites.
Arlington is unusual among Virginia clerks in how much it has pushed online and by email. The Circuit Court Clerk accepts copy requests by email to division-specific addresses, returns non-certified copies by email, and encourages e-filing and e-recording; the office does not, however, accept paper filings by email. Case status is searched on the statewide Circuit Court Case Information system rather than a local portal.
Copy fees follow the statewide schedule — $0.50 per page, plus $2.00 per certified copy — and the office charges a flat $10.00 for digital media such as video evidence. Criminal defendants requesting their own case documents have the fees waived. The General District Court and J&DR court are on the second floor of the same building, each with its own clerk.
Search Arlington County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Arlington Circuit Court Clerk's Office
- Cost
- Free to search case status on the statewide system; $0.50 per page for copies plus $2.00 per certified copy
- Coverage
- Circuit Court civil and criminal case information (statewide system), plus land records, wills, and probate held by the clerk
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
The clerk's page lists division phone numbers and links to the statewide case-information and payment systems. The site blocks automated command-line requests but loads normally in a browser; details here were read from the live page and match the Virginia Judicial System's Arlington Circuit Court listing.
Other courts
Arlington Circuit Court Clerk — Copy/Document Requests
- Cost
- $0.50 per page; $2.00 per certified copy; $10.00 flat fee for digital media
- Coverage
- Copies of documents from Arlington Circuit Court civil and criminal case files, by email, mail, or in person
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Requests go to civil-docrequest@arlingtonva.us for civil cases and CCT-DocRequest@arlingtonva.us for criminal cases; target turnaround is two business days. Non-certified copies can be returned by email. Fees are waived for criminal defendants.
Other courts
Arlington General District Court
- Cost
- Free to search on the statewide General District Court system
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor criminal, traffic, and civil claims up to $25,000
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Suite 2400, second floor of 1425 N. Courthouse Road; clerk (703) 228-7900; traffic fines (703) 228-4599; hours 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Searchable through the statewide General District Court Case Information system or OCIS by selecting Arlington.
Other courts
Arlington Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
- Cost
- Free to search adult-criminal cases on OCIS; other case information by request
- Coverage
- Custody, support, visitation, protective orders, family abuse, and juvenile delinquency cases
- Records
- Family, Criminal
Suite 2500, second floor of 1425 N. Courthouse Road; clerk (703) 228-4495; hours 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Juvenile records are confidential and not part of any public online search.
What is available online
Arlington Circuit Court civil and criminal case status is on the statewide Circuit Court Case Information system, and General District Court criminal, traffic, and civil cases are on the statewide General District Court system or OCIS — select Arlington in each. Those tools show docket entries and dispositions, not document images. The Circuit Court Clerk fills document requests by email and can return non-certified copies electronically, which is the closest thing Arlington offers to online document access for the general public. Land records are searched separately through the county's land-records search site. J&DR adult-criminal case status appears on OCIS; juvenile and most family-case detail does not.
Which clerk has your record
In Virginia, 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 Virginia page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Circuit Courts (120 counties, 38 independent cities) | Felony criminal cases; Divorce, custody, and other family cases; Civil suits over $25,000 | Clerk of the Circuit Court |
| General District Courts (one per locality) | Misdemeanor criminal cases; Traffic infractions and tickets; Civil claims up to $25,000 | Clerk of the General District Court |
| Juvenile and Domestic Relations (J&DR) District Courts (one per locality) | Child custody, visitation, and support; Protective orders and family abuse cases; Juvenile delinquency and status offenses | Clerk of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court |
Request records in person or by mail
Arlington County clerk offices
Circuit Court Clerk: Arlington County Justice Center, 1425 N. Courthouse Road, 6th Floor, Arlington, VA 22201 (Civil Suite 6700; Criminal Suite 6100; Land Records Suite 6200; Probate Suite 6300)
Phone: Circuit Court Clerk Civil Division: (703) 228-7010 (Criminal (703) 228-4399; Land Records (703) 228-4369; Probate (703) 228-4376)
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
By email (Circuit Court). Send the case number, the documents you need, and whether you want them certified to civil-docrequest@arlingtonva.us for civil, divorce, and probate matters or to CCT-DocRequest@arlingtonva.us for criminal matters. Staff quote the fee — $0.50 per page plus $2.00 per certified copy — and can email non-certified copies once payment is arranged. The target turnaround is two business days, longer when volume is high.
In person. Visit the Clerk's Office on the sixth floor of the Justice Center at 1425 N. Courthouse Road between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Payment is accepted by cash, check, money order, or credit/debit card (a 4% card fee applies). The clerk's copy-request page also lists the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. as an in-person option.
By mail. Send a written request and a check or money order payable to Arlington County Circuit Court to the Clerk's Office at the Justice Center address above; include a self-addressed stamped envelope if you want paper copies returned by mail.
General District and J&DR records. Contact the General District Court clerk at (703) 228-7900 or the J&DR clerk at (703) 228-4495, both on the second floor of the Justice Center. J&DR records involving minors or protective orders are typically released only to parties and their attorneys.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Virginia |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | $0.50 per page (per Va. Code § 17.1-275, the statewide circuit court fee schedule) |
| Certified copy | $0.50 per page plus a $2.00 certification/seal fee (per Va. Code § 17.1-275) |
These amounts are set by Virginia Code § 17.1-275 for circuit court clerks and confirmed on the Office of the Executive Secretary's circuit court fee schedule; several counties (Fairfax, Chesterfield) publish the identical $0.50/$2.00 figures on their own sites. General District and J&DR court clerks may charge different amounts under separate fee statutes, so confirm with that specific clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Virginia court records are presumed open under Virginia Code § 17.1-208, which requires circuit clerks to keep records open to inspection and furnish copies on request. Several categories are not part of that presumption:
The Virginia 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 get Arlington Circuit Court documents by email?
Yes. The Clerk's Office accepts document requests at division-specific email addresses and can return non-certified copies by email after payment. Certified copies must be picked up or mailed.
How much does a copy of an Arlington court record cost?
Copies are $0.50 per page, certified copies add $2.00 each, and digital media such as video evidence is a flat $10.00. Credit and debit card payments carry a 4% fee. Criminal defendants requesting their own case documents have fees waived.
Where are Arlington's courts located?
All three trial courts are in the Arlington County Justice Center at 1425 N. Courthouse Road: the Circuit Court Clerk on the sixth floor, and the General District Court (Suite 2400) and J&DR Court (Suite 2500) on the second floor.
Does Arlington have its own online case search?
No. Arlington uses the statewide Circuit Court and General District Court case-information systems; select Arlington from the locality list. The county does run its own land-records search, but that covers deeds and liens, not court cases.
Sources
- Arlington County — Circuit Court (17th Judicial Circuit) — https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/Circuit-Court
- Arlington County — Circuit Court Copy/Document Requests — https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/Circuit-Court/CopyDocument-Requests
- Arlington County — General District Court — https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/GD-Court
- Arlington County — Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court — https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts/Juvenile-Domestic-Relations-Court
- Arlington County — Courts & Judicial Services — https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/Courts
- Virginia Court System — Arlington Circuit Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/arlington/home
- Virginia Court System — Arlington General District Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/gd/arlington/home
- Virginia Court System — Arlington Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/jdr/arlington/home
- Virginia Court System — Case Status and Information — https://www.vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home
- Online Case Information System (OCIS) — https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/landing
- General District Court Online Case Information System — https://eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/landing.do?landing=landing
- Virginia Court System — Circuit Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/home
- Virginia Court System — General District Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/gd/home
- Virginia Court System — Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/jdr/home
- Virginia State Police — Criminal History Record Check — https://vsp.virginia.gov/services/criminal-background/
- Code of Virginia § 17.1-208 — Records open to inspection; copies; exception — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title17.1/chapter2/section17.1-208/
- Code of Virginia § 17.1-275 — Fees collected by clerks of circuit courts — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title17.1/chapter2/section17.1-275/
- Code of Virginia, Title 19.2, Chapter 23.2 — Sealing of Criminal History Record Information and Court Records — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacodefull/title19.2/chapter23.2/
- Code of Virginia § 19.2-392.2 — Expungement of police and court records — https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title19.2/chapter23.1/section19.2-392.2/
See also: all Virginia counties.