Salem City Court Records Search
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Salem is an independent city in Virginia — a legal designation that makes it entirely separate from any surrounding county for governmental and judicial purposes. This distinction shapes how court records are organized and maintained within the city. Records generated by Salem's courts cover the full spectrum of legal matters: felony prosecutions, misdemeanor and traffic cases, family and juvenile proceedings, civil disputes, probate filings, and real property instruments. Anyone who needs to research a case outcome, verify a filing, or obtain a certified document must understand which court tier handled the matter and which clerk maintains those files.
Searching for court records in Virginia involves navigating multiple government offices and online systems. VirginiaStateCourts.us can help you identify publicly available case information across the Commonwealth and locate the appropriate court contact. Official records can also be accessed through clerk offices at the courthouse, public-access terminals within court facilities, and the Virginia Judicial System's online portals. The sections below walk through each record type, the specific courts that maintain them, and the practical steps required to find or request them.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Salem City?
Salem's court complex is located at 2 East Calhoun Street, where three distinct courts share a building but maintain their own dockets and clerks. Because Salem is an independent city, its Circuit Court is jurisdictionally separate from Roanoke County — though the two share a courthouse building at 305 East Main Street for circuit-level functions, and circuit court responsibilities for Salem are carried out through the Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk's office.
Salem Combined General District and JDR District Courts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Brandy A. Duncan |
| Address | 2 East Calhoun Street, Salem, VA 24153 |
| Phone | (540) 375-3044 |
| Fax | (540) 375-4024 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. |
Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk (serves Salem City)
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Clerk | W. Michael Galliher |
| Address | 305 East Main Street, Room 200, Salem, VA 24153 |
| Phone | (540) 387-6205 |
| Hours | Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
Available search methods:
- Online — Circuit Court cases: The Virginia Circuit Court Case Information System allows case-level searches by name, case number, or hearing date. Select Salem City as the locality to narrow results.
- Online — General District and JDR cases: The General District Court online case portal covers civil, criminal, and traffic cases handled in Salem's General District Court. Select Salem from the locality list and search by name or case number.
- Online — Statewide adult criminal search: The Online Case Information System (OCIS) provides a statewide search of adult criminal records across General District and select Circuit Courts, plus adult criminal matters from JDR courts. This system is informational only and does not allow payments.
- In person: Visit the applicable clerk's office with identifying details about the case — full party names, approximate filing date, case type, and case number if known. Staff can conduct name-based index searches and pull physical file copies.
- By mail: Submit a written request to the appropriate clerk, including all available identifying information, a check or money order for copy fees, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for returned documents.
Before visiting in person, calling ahead to confirm that the file is on-site is advisable for older cases, which may be stored at an off-site records facility. The Virginia Judicial System's public records request guidance explains the general process for requesting records from any Virginia court clerk.
Are Court Records Public in Salem City?
Virginia law treats court records as presumptively open to the public. Two statutes form the legal foundation for public access: Va. Code § 17.1-208, which obligates circuit court clerks to permit inspection and furnish copies of their records, and Va. Code § 16.1-69.54:1, which governs access to district court records. Together, these provisions within Title 16.1 and Title 17.1 of the Code of Virginia establish public access rights across all of the city's court tiers.
Records that are generally available to the public:
- Criminal case dockets, indictments, dispositions, and sentencing orders for adult defendants
- Civil case filings, judgments, and orders
- Divorce decrees and related domestic records filed in Circuit Court
- Probate filings including admitted wills, estate inventories, and fiduciary accounts
- Land records, deeds, and liens recorded with the Circuit Court Clerk
- Marriage licenses (after a 25-year threshold for vital record access)
Categories protected from public disclosure:
- Juvenile case files under Va. Code § 16.1-305, which restricts access to named parties, attorneys, and specific government agencies
- Adoption proceedings and related records, which are sealed by court order
- Mental health commitment records
- Records ordered sealed by a judge following a specific legal determination
- Active law enforcement investigations where disclosure could compromise the process
- Documents containing unredacted personal identifiers — Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and medical information are typically redacted from publicly accessible filings
Copy fees from the district court clerk are set by Va. Code § 16.1-69.48:2, which caps charges at $1.00 for the first two pages and $0.50 per page thereafter. Circuit court copy and certification fees follow Va. Code § 17.1-275. At the Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk's office serving Salem, copies are $0.50 per page with an additional $2.00 per document for certification.
Salem City Criminal Court Records
Criminal matters in Salem move through the court system based on the seriousness of the offense:
- Salem General District Court handles misdemeanors, traffic infractions, ordinance violations, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. Felony probable cause determinations occur here before transfer to Circuit Court.
- 23rd Judicial Circuit Court (via Roanoke County Clerk) takes over felony prosecutions, handles felony trials and sentencing, and processes appeals from the General District Court.
Criminal case details accessible through the online portals include case numbers, filing dates, charge codes, offense and arrest dates, hearing schedules, dispositions, and sentence information. Records can also be examined in person at either clerk's office.
For arrest and booking records — which are distinct from court case files — the relevant law enforcement agencies serving Salem are:
Salem City Sheriff's Office
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Sheriff | Chris Shelor (sworn in January 2025) |
| Phone | (540) 375-3040 |
| Website | salemva.gov/366/Sheriffs-Office |
The Sheriff's Office is responsible for courtroom security, prisoner transportation, and serving civil process within the city. Salem maintains its own courthouse but shares a jail facility with Roanoke County.
Salem City Police Department
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Records & Detective Division | (540) 375-3083 |
| General Contact | (540) 375-3078 |
| Website | salemva.gov/260/Police |
For criminal history records held at the state level, the Virginia State Police administers background check requests separately from court record requests.
The Virginia Judicial System also provides an online case alert subscription service that allows users to sign up for notifications when activity occurs in specified criminal or traffic cases.
Salem City Civil Court Records
Civil jurisdiction in Salem's court system is divided by claim amount and case complexity:
- Salem General District Court handles civil claims up to $25,000, including small claims matters not exceeding $5,000. It also has authority over unlawful detainer actions, attachments, and garnishments. The court's civil docket runs Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m., with contested civil cases also calendared on the first and third Fridays at 2:00 p.m.
- 23rd Judicial Circuit Court holds original jurisdiction for civil disputes exceeding $25,000, equity proceedings, foreclosure actions, and appeals from General District Court. Both courts share jurisdiction over personal injury and wrongful death matters between $4,500 and $50,000.
Filing fees vary by claim amount and case type. The General District Court civil filing fee calculator and the Circuit Court civil filing fee calculator on the Virginia Judicial System's website allow you to estimate costs before filing. Online payment for certain circuit court fines and costs is available through the courts online payment portal.
Civil case records at both courts are searchable online through the same portals described above and can be requested in person or by mail from the respective clerk. Self-represented litigants can access guidance, forms, and plain-language instructions through Virginia's Access to Justice Self-Help Center.
Property-related civil records recorded in the Circuit Court — including deeds, liens, easements, and conveyances — are public record. Property ownership, assessed value, and parcel data for Salem are maintained by the City of Salem Real Estate Assessor's Office, and tax records are kept by the city's Commissioner of Revenue and Treasurer.
Salem City Family Court Records
Family law matters in Salem are handled across two court tiers, with the division of authority depending on the specific issue:
23rd Judicial Circuit Court handles:
- Dissolution of marriage (divorce) and equitable distribution of marital property
- Spousal support determinations
- Adoption proceedings
- Name changes
- Appeals of family matters from the JDR Court
Salem Juvenile and Domestic Relations (JDR) District Court handles:
- Child custody, visitation, and support
- Paternity establishment and modification
- Domestic violence protective orders
- Dependency, neglect, and abuse cases involving children
- Juvenile delinquency and status offense matters
- Criminal traffic matters for persons under 18
The JDR court in Salem operates within the Combined Courts building at 2 East Calhoun Street. The JDR court schedule runs Monday through Friday with arraignments beginning at 8:30 a.m. and hearings at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. The Virginia Department of Social Services Child Support Enforcement (DCSE) calendar runs on the second Wednesday at 1:00 p.m.
JDR case files are confidential under Va. Code § 16.1-305 and are not open to general public inspection. Adult criminal matters heard within the JDR Court — such as protective order violations — do appear in the statewide OCIS search system.
Marriage licenses for weddings taking place in Salem are issued by the Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk's office, as Salem does not maintain its own separate circuit clerk for this function. Key requirements and fees:
- Fee: $30.00 (cash, check, or debit/credit card accepted)
- Both parties must appear in person; no appointment is required
- Minimum age: 18 years for both parties (emancipated minors must provide a certified copy of the emancipation order)
- The license is valid for 60 days from the date of issuance and authorizes a ceremony anywhere in Virginia
- Certified copies of existing marriage license records cost $2.50 per copy from the Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk's office
Marriage records from 1936 onward can be searched through the publicly accessible database maintained by the Virginia Department of Health Office of Vital Records. Records less than 25 years old are restricted to the named parties and their immediate family members or legal representatives. Certified copies of birth and death certificates are also obtained through the VDH Office of Vital Records, with a current fee of $15.00 per certified copy as of July 1, 2026.
Salem City Probate Court Records
Probate jurisdiction in Virginia rests exclusively with the Circuit Court. For Salem City, this means probate matters are handled through the 23rd Judicial Circuit, with records maintained by the Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk's office at 305 East Main Street, Salem. Appointments are required for probate proceedings; prospective petitioners should call (540) 387-6205 or contact the clerk's office directly to schedule.
Typical probate matters processed through the Salem circuit court include:
- Proving wills and admitting them to record
- Qualifying executors, administrators, and trustees as personal representatives of an estate
- Recording estate inventories and appraisements
- Filing fiduciary accountings and final settlements
- Guardianship and conservatorship appointments for incapacitated adults
Fees associated with probate in Virginia:
| Fee Type | Rate |
|---|---|
| State probate tax | $1.00 per $1,000.00 plus $0.10 per $100.00 of estate value |
| Local probate tax | $0.0333 per $100.00 of estate value |
| Qualification fee | Based on total estate value (paid at time of appointment) |
Payment is due at the time of the probate appointment. When the decedent died with a will, bring the original will to the appointment along with the death certificate, the approximate value of solely-owned assets, and the names, ages, and addresses of heirs-at-law. If the named executor cannot or chooses not to serve, a notarized renunciation letter is required, or a death certificate if the named executor is deceased.
Probate records on file with the clerk — including admitted wills, estate orders, and fiduciary settlements — are part of the public court record and can be accessed in person at the clerk's office or through the Virginia Judicial System's case information portal. Questions about probate procedure specific to Salem may be directed to the clerk's office at (540) 387-6213.