Amherst County Court Records Search

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    Amherst County, Virginia, operates a three-tier court structure — the Circuit Court, the General District Court, and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) District Court — all located in the county seat of Amherst. These courts generate records covering every type of judicial proceeding in the county, from felony prosecutions and civil disputes to family law matters, probate proceedings, and minor criminal offenses. Records are maintained by their respective court clerks and are generally accessible to the public under Virginia law, subject to specific statutory exemptions.

    Locating court records in Virginia involves several channels depending on the court and the type of case. Clerk’s offices at the courthouse handle in-person and mail requests, public access terminals are available at courthouse locations, and multiple online systems support remote searches. VirginiaStateCourts.us can serve as a starting point for identifying publicly available Virginia court case information and navigating the state’s judicial resources before narrowing a search to Amherst County’s specific courts.

    How to Look Up a Court Case in Amherst County?

    Amherst County is served by courts participating in Virginia’s statewide online case information systems. Two primary platforms support public searches without requiring registration or a fee:

    For records not available online — including sealed cases, older filings, or documents requiring certified copies — contact the appropriate court clerk directly. All three Amherst County courts are housed along Taylor Street in Amherst:

    CourtAddressPhoneFax
    Circuit Court (24th Judicial Circuit)113 Taylor St., P.O. Box 462, Amherst, VA 24521(434) 946-9321(434) 946-9323
    General District Court113 Taylor St., P.O. Box 513, Amherst, VA 24521(434) 946-9351(434) 946-9359
    Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court113 Taylor St., P.O. Box 178, Amherst, VA 24521(434) 946-9355(434) 946-9374

    The Circuit Court Clerk’s Office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For mail requests submitted to the Circuit Court, direct correspondence to the Clerk at P.O. Box 462, Amherst, VA 24521, or email dmozingo@vacourts.gov.

    Are Court Records Public in Amherst County?

    Virginia’s public records framework is established by the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (VFOIA), codified at Code of Virginia § 2.2-3700 et seq. The statute presumes that all public records are open to inspection and copying. Any exemption that allows records to be withheld must be narrowly construed, and the burden falls on the public body — not the requestor — to justify withholding.

    VFOIA does not require requestors to state a reason for their request or demonstrate a personal interest in the records. Requests may be submitted in writing or verbally, though written requests are strongly recommended to create a clear record and prompt a timely response. Under VFOIA, Amherst County must respond within five working days of receiving a request, with an additional seven working days available in exceptional circumstances, for a maximum of twelve working days.

    Commonly withheld or redacted categories of court records include:

    • Juvenile case files and proceedings
    • Adoption records
    • Records identifying victims of sexual offenses
    • Identities of undercover law enforcement agents
    • Records from ongoing criminal investigations (§ 2.2-3706 and § 2.2-3706.1)
    • Personnel records (§ 2.2-3705.1(1))
    • Records protected by attorney-client privilege (§ 2.2-3705.1(2))
    • Records that identify jurors or confidential informants

    Divorce records under 25 years old, birth records under 100 years old, and death records under 25 years old are also subject to additional access restrictions as described below. When records are withheld in whole or in part, the responding office must identify the specific Code section authorizing the withholding, and must redact only the protected portion rather than withholding an entire document.

    VFOIA requests directed to the Amherst County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office should go to:

    Spencer C. Drake, FOIA Officer — Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office
    113 Taylor St., Amherst, VA 24521
    Phone: (434) 946-9316 | Fax: (434) 946-9306
    Email: scdrake@amherstca.org

    Charges for fulfilling VFOIA requests must not exceed the actual cost of searching, duplicating, and supplying the records. If anticipated costs exceed $200, a deposit may be required before processing begins.

    Amherst County Criminal Court Records

    Criminal proceedings in Amherst County begin at the General District Court, regardless of the severity of the offense. The General District Court handles all misdemeanor prosecutions, traffic violations, and civil infractions. It also conducts arraignments and preliminary hearings for felony matters before binding them over to the Circuit Court. The Circuit Court then handles all felony trials, serious misdemeanors, and criminal appeals from the lower courts.

    To search Amherst County criminal case information online:

    1. Go to the General District Court Online Case Information System for misdemeanor, traffic, and preliminary felony hearing records.
    2. Use the Circuit Court Case Information Portal for felony convictions and Circuit-level criminal proceedings.
    3. Use the statewide OCIS platform for a combined adult criminal search across court levels.

    For arrest records maintained by the Amherst County Sheriff’s Office, contact:

    Amherst County Sheriff’s Office
    Address: 115 Taylor Street, P.O. Box 410, Amherst, VA 24521
    Phone: (434) 946-9381 | Fax: (434) 946-9380

    The Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency under Sheriff Erik W. Smith, divided into Field Operations, Investigations, and Administration. It maintains criminal incident information and identity records for persons arrested or charged in the county. Records requests for police investigative reports and body camera footage should be directed to the Sheriff’s Office, as these materials are under its custody — not the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

    Expunged or sealed records are not available through public search systems. Virginia provides Criminal Sealing Forms for those seeking to seal eligible criminal records. Requestors may also subscribe for alerts to traffic or criminal cases tied to specific individuals through the OCIS notification system.

    Amherst County Civil Court Records

    Civil jurisdiction in Amherst County is allocated between two courts based on the amount in controversy:

    Claim AmountCourtNotes
    $4,500 or lessGeneral District Court (exclusive)Landlord-tenant, contract disputes
    $4,500–$25,000General District Court or Circuit Court (concurrent)Either court may hear these matters
    Up to $50,000General District CourtPersonal injury and wrongful death only
    Over $25,000Circuit CourtAll general civil matters
    Up to $5,000General District Court — Small Claims DivisionSimplified procedure, no attorneys required

    The Circuit Court, as the broadest trial court in Virginia, handles all civil cases exceeding $15,000 as well as equity matters. It also hears appeals from both the General District Court and the JDR District Court. The Clerk of the Circuit Court — currently Hon. Deborah Coffey Mozingo — maintains the official case files for all Circuit-level civil proceedings.

    To request civil records in person or by mail, contact the Clerk’s Office at 113 Taylor Street, Suite/P.O. Box 462, Amherst, VA 24521. Provide the names of all parties, the approximate filing date, and any available case numbers to facilitate the search. Virginia’s Circuit Court Civil Filing Fee Calculation tool is available online and allows litigants to calculate filing fees before submitting new civil complaints.

    Amherst County Family Court Records

    Family law matters in Amherst County are divided between the Circuit Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Divorce proceedings — including contested and uncontested dissolutions of marriage — are handled exclusively by the Circuit Court, which also hears spousal support and equitable distribution claims. The JDR District Court has concurrent jurisdiction over child custody, parenting time, child support, paternity, and protective orders, though parties may seek transfer of those matters to the Circuit Court when a divorce is also filed.

    The JDR District Court additionally handles adoptions, juvenile delinquency cases, abuse and neglect petitions, and emancipation proceedings. It is important to note that juvenile proceedings — including child protective matters — are confidential under Virginia law and will not appear in public online searches. Personal protection orders are similarly excluded from the public case search systems.

    Marriage records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court. Certified copies of marriage licenses cost $2.00 per copy and can be requested in person or by mail from:

    Amherst County Clerk of Circuit Court
    113 Taylor Street, P.O. Box 462, Amherst, VA 24521
    Phone: (434) 946-9321 | Email: dmozingo@vacourts.gov

    Marriage records less than 25 years old are accessible only to the record subjects, their immediate families, and legal representatives. Records 25 years or older are publicly accessible. For certified copies of marriage certificates, requestors may also use the Virginia Department of Health’s Marriage & Divorce Records Request Portal.

    Divorce records are similarly subject to the 25-year restriction on non-party access. The Circuit Court Clerk maintains divorce case files, and certain information — including child support orders, custody arrangements, and settlement agreements — is redacted from publicly accessible copies. Divorce certificates from 1918 to the present are available through the Virginia Department of Health for $15.00 per copy (current fee as of the VDH’s updated schedule). The VDH Office of Vital Records is located at 2001 Maywill Street, Suite 101, Richmond, VA 23230 (mailing address: P.O. Box 1000, Richmond, VA 23218-1000).

    Birth and death records fall outside the court clerk’s jurisdiction and are maintained by the Virginia Department of Health. Birth certificates are confidential for 100 years from the date of birth; only the record subject (age 18 or older), parents, legal representatives, or heirs may obtain them within that period. Death records become publicly accessible 25 years after the date of death. Both types may be ordered through the VDH Office of Vital Records online application portal or by visiting the Richmond office in person. The Amherst County Health Department at 224 2nd Street, Amherst, VA 24521 (Phone: (434) 946-9408) also serves as a local resource for death records.

    Amherst County Probate Court Records

    In Virginia, probate jurisdiction rests with the Circuit Court — not a separate probate court. The Clerk of the Amherst County Circuit Court administers probate matters and serves as the legal custodian of all related filings. Probate proceedings handled through the Circuit Court Clerk’s office include:

    • Will admission and qualification of executors/administrators
    • Intestate estate administration
    • Trusts
    • Guardianships and conservatorships
    • Name changes
    • Mental health commitment proceedings
    • Lawsuits involving minors
    • Adoption proceedings

    Probate fees in Amherst County Circuit Court are governed by the Virginia Circuit Court Fee Schedule (Appendix C). Qualification of a will and issuance of letters testamentary typically involves clerk fees in the range of $40–$60. Virginia also imposes a state probate tax of $1.00 per $1,000 of estate value exceeding $15,000. Certified copies of probate documents are available from the Clerk’s Office; requestors should contact the office directly for current per-page copy fees.

    To search probate case records online, use the Virginia Circuit Court Case Information Portal and select Amherst County. Case summaries, party names, and registers of actions for many probate matters are publicly searchable. However, wills deposited with the court for safekeeping prior to a testator’s death are not publicly viewable online and must be inspected in person at the Clerk’s Office.

    For in-person or mail requests, contact the Circuit Court Clerk directly. Bring or provide a valid government-issued photo ID and identify the estate by the decedent’s full name, approximate date of death, and any known case number. The Virginia Courts Self-Help Center also provides procedural guides and downloadable forms for those navigating probate matters without an attorney, including guidance on guardianship and conservatorship proceedings through the Virginia Judicial Branch’s Guardianship and Conservatorship program.