| Circuit Court Clerk | Prince William County Circuit Court Clerk — Court Case Information |
|---|---|
| Clerk address | Circuit Court Clerk: 9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110 (Judicial Center) |
| Phone | Circuit Court Clerk: (703) 792-4311 |
| 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) |
Prince William County's Circuit Court Clerk keeps felony, civil-over-$25,000, divorce, and probate records for the county and uses the state's own Case Management System for online case search rather than a locally built site. Attorneys can pay for expanded remote access to scanned documents through the clerk's Officer of the Court Remote Access (OCRA) program, but the public search of the case index itself is free.
Misdemeanors, traffic tickets, and smaller civil claims are handled by the Prince William General District Court, and custody, support, protective-order, and juvenile cases go to the Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court — both with their own clerks in the Judicial Center at 9311 Lee Avenue in Manassas, separate from the Circuit Court Clerk's office.
Prince William's court complex serves both the county and, for some purposes, the independent cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, so confirm which court actually heard a case before assuming it is filed with the county's own clerk.
Search Prince William County court records online
Circuit Court Clerk
Prince William County Circuit Court Clerk — Court Case Information
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Circuit Court civil and criminal case information, including hearings, disposition, pleadings, and orders
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Probate
Links to the statewide Circuit Court Case Management System at eapps.courts.state.va.us/CJISWeb/circuit.jsp, which returned a bot-blocking error on automated verification but is the address the county's own page links to. Select "Prince William County Circuit," then Criminal or Civil, then search by name, case number, or hearing date.
Other courts
Prince William General District Court
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor criminal, traffic, and civil claims up to $25,000
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Also searchable through the statewide General District Court Online Case Information System or OCIS by selecting Prince William.
Other courts
Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court
- Cost
- Free to search adult-criminal cases on OCIS; other case information is by request
- Coverage
- Custody, support, visitation, protective orders, family abuse, and juvenile delinquency cases
- Records
- Family, Criminal
Juvenile records are confidential and are not part of any public online search.
Other courts
Circuit Court Clerk — Officer of the Court Remote Access (OCRA)
- Cost
- $200 per year subscription
- Coverage
- Scanned Circuit Court case documents for attorneys and their staff
- Records
- Civil, Criminal
For attorneys of record only, not for members of the public seeking a one-off document.
What is available online
The Circuit Court's online search covers case status, hearings, disposition, pleadings, and service information in real time, but not document images for the general public — those require OCRA registration (attorneys only) or an in-person or mailed request. General District and J&DR case status is covered by the statewide systems; full family-case detail and anything involving a juvenile is restricted.
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
Prince William County clerk offices
Circuit Court Clerk: 9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, VA 20110 (Judicial Center)
Phone: Circuit Court Clerk: (703) 792-4311
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Circuit Court records. Search online for case status, then request copies in person at the Judicial Center at 9311 Lee Avenue, Manassas, or by mail to the Circuit Court Clerk's Office. Include the case number, the documents needed, and whether you need certified copies; the clerk's office can quote the fee before you send payment.
General District Court records. Contact the General District Court clerk's office in the same building for copies of traffic or misdemeanor case documents; the office phone is (703) 792-6141 for general information.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court records. Contact the J&DR Clerk's Office at (703) 792-6160. Because these cases often involve minors or protective orders, you may need to show you are a party or otherwise entitled to the record before the clerk will release it.
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 there a free online case search for Prince William Circuit Court?
Yes. The county's Court Case Information page links to the statewide Circuit Court case-search system, where you can search Prince William Circuit Court criminal and civil cases by name, case number, or hearing date at no cost.
How do attorneys get full document access to Prince William Circuit Court files?
Through the clerk's Officer of the Court Remote Access (OCRA) program, a $200-per-year subscription for attorneys and their staff. It is not available to the general public.
Where do I look up a Prince William traffic ticket or misdemeanor?
Search Prince William General District Court on the statewide General District Court Online Case Information System or OCIS, not the Circuit Court search.
Who handles custody and protective-order cases in Prince William County?
The Prince William Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, with its own clerk's office in the Judicial Center at 9311 Lee Avenue. Juvenile-specific records are confidential and not searchable online.
Sources
- Prince William County Circuit Court — Court Case Information — https://www.pwcva.gov/department/circuit-court/court-case-information
- Prince William County Circuit Court — Online Records Access — https://www.pwcva.gov/department/circuit-court/online-records-access
- Prince William County — General District Court — https://www.pwcva.gov/department/general-district-court
- Prince William County — Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court — https://www.pwcva.gov/department/juvenile-domestic-relations-court/juvenile-domestic-relations-district-court
- Virginia Court System — Prince William Circuit Court — https://www.vacourts.gov/courts/circuit/prince_william/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.