| Circuit Court Clerk | Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk — eCaseSearch |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Fairfax County Judicial Center, 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030 |
| Phone | Circuit Court Clerk: (703) 691-7320 |
| 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) |
Fairfax County is Virginia's most populous jurisdiction and its Circuit Court Clerk runs one of the state's more modern record systems. In July 2024 the clerk's office launched eCaseSearch, a free, locally built portal that replaced the older paid dial-up terminals, so civil and criminal Circuit Court case information — hearing dates, charges, and docket entries — is searchable online at no cost and without an account. Full document images are not part of eCaseSearch; those still require a visit to the courthouse.
Misdemeanors, traffic tickets, and civil claims up to $25,000 are handled by the Fairfax County General District Court, which has its own clerk and is searchable through the statewide General District Court and OCIS systems. Family cases — custody, support, protective orders, and juvenile matters — go to the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, a separate clerk's office that also sits in the Fairfax County Judicial Center.
All three Fairfax courts share the same courthouse complex at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, but each keeps its own case files and has its own phone line, so calling the wrong office is a common source of delay.
Search Fairfax County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk — eCaseSearch
- Cost
- Free to search; copies charged separately at the clerk's office
- Coverage
- Non-confidential Circuit Court civil and criminal case information, including hearing dates, charges, and docket entries
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Launched July 2024 to replace paid access; document images are not available online and must be requested or reviewed in person at 4110 Chain Bridge Road.
Other courts
Fairfax County General District Court
- Cost
- Free to search on the statewide system
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor criminal, traffic, and civil claims up to $25,000 filed in Fairfax County General District Court
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Searchable through the statewide General District Court Online Case Information System or OCIS by selecting Fairfax County.
Other courts
Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court — Clerk's Office
- Cost
- Free to search adult-criminal cases on OCIS; other family case information is by request
- Coverage
- Custody, support, visitation, protective orders, family abuse, and juvenile delinquency cases
- Records
- Family, Criminal
Juvenile case records are confidential by statute and are not part of any public online search. Adult criminal charges from this court appear in OCIS.
What is available online
eCaseSearch covers Circuit Court civil and criminal cases with case type, parties, hearing dates, and docket entries, but not scanned documents. The General District Court and J&DR adult-criminal cases are covered by the statewide OCIS and General District Court systems. Juvenile case content, and most J&DR family-case detail beyond scheduling, is not available online and requires contacting the clerk directly.
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
Fairfax County clerk offices
Fairfax County Judicial Center, 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Phone: Circuit Court Clerk: (703) 691-7320
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Circuit Court records. Search eCaseSearch for case status and docket information. For copies or to view a document, contact the Civil Records Division at (703) 691-7320 (press 3, 1, 4) or by email at ccrfilereview@fairfaxcounty.gov, or visit the clerk's office at 4110 Chain Bridge Road. A plain copy is $0.50 per page and a certified copy adds a $2.00 certification fee.
General District Court records. Search the statewide General District Court system by selecting Fairfax County, or contact the General District Court clerk's office in the same courthouse for copies of traffic or misdemeanor case documents.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court records. Contact the J&DR Clerk's Office directly at (703) 246-3367; because many of these records involve minors or family-abuse protections, copies and even case confirmation may require showing you are a party to the case or otherwise entitled to the record.
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
Is Fairfax County Circuit Court case information free to search online?
Yes. eCaseSearch, launched in 2024, lets anyone search Fairfax Circuit Court civil and criminal case information for free without creating an account. It does not include scanned document images.
How do I get a document from a Fairfax County Circuit Court case?
Contact the Civil Records Division at (703) 691-7320 or ccrfilereview@fairfaxcounty.gov to confirm the record is available, then request a plain copy ($0.50/page) or certified copy (plus $2.00) in person or by mail.
Where do I look up a misdemeanor or traffic ticket in Fairfax County?
Search the Fairfax County General District Court on the statewide General District Court Online Case Information System or OCIS, not eCaseSearch, which covers Circuit Court only.
Are Fairfax County custody and protective-order cases public?
Case scheduling for adult matters is generally available through OCIS, but full case detail in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court is limited, and juvenile-specific records are confidential by Virginia law. Contact the J&DR Clerk's Office for what can be released.
What is Fairfax County's court records address?
All three Fairfax courts — Circuit, General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations — sit in the Fairfax County Judicial Center at 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA 22030, but each has its own clerk's office and phone number.
Sources
- Fairfax County Circuit Court — eCaseSearch — https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/apps/ECS_Public/
- Fairfax County Circuit Court — Civil Records — https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/circuit/civil-case-information/civil-records
- Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court — Clerk's Office — https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/juveniledomesticrelations/clerks-office
- Virginia Court System — Fairfax Circuit Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/fairfax/home
- Virginia Court System — Fairfax County General District Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/gd/fairfax_county/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.