Roanoke City Criminal History

Roanoke City criminal history records are maintained by the Roanoke City Circuit Court and Roanoke City General District Court in downtown Roanoke. This is important to note: Roanoke City is a separate jurisdiction from Roanoke County, which has its own courts and records. The city sits in the 23rd Judicial Circuit and handles all its criminal cases independently. Felony records, misdemeanor case files, arrest history, and sentencing data for city cases are all kept here and are searchable online or in person.

Roanoke City Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Roanoke City Circuit Court handles all felony criminal cases filed within the city and sits in the 23rd Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The Office of the Clerk of Circuit Court at roanokeva.gov/298/Office-of-the-Clerk-of-Circuit-Court maintains all court records including criminal case files, land records, marriage licenses, and probate records. The office provides public access to court records during regular business hours. Public access terminals are also available in the clerk's office for searching case information.

The Criminal Division of the Roanoke City Circuit Court handles all felony cases and misdemeanor appeals. According to the city's Criminal Division page, criminal case facts are searchable online through the Virginia Court System website and in the public records room of the Office of the Clerk of Circuit Court. The clerk's office maintains criminal case files, sentencing orders, and related documents. Staff can provide assistance with accessing and copying records.

Roanoke City criminal records are kept for varying periods depending on case type. Circuit Court felony case files are maintained permanently. Circuit Court misdemeanor case files are maintained for 10 years after final disposition. General District Court criminal case files are also kept for 10 years after final disposition. Arrest reports are maintained for 75 years.

The Roanoke City Circuit Court official page on the Virginia judiciary website provides contact information and links to case information tools for the independent city.

The Roanoke City Circuit Court in the 23rd Judicial Circuit is a separate court from Roanoke County's circuit court, serving only the independent city's criminal cases.

Roanoke City General District Court

The Roanoke City General District Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, preliminary hearings for felony charges, and civil cases under $25,000. The court is not a court of record, so proceedings are not automatically transcribed. All cases are heard by a judge. If a defendant wants a jury trial on a misdemeanor, the case must be appealed to the Circuit Court, where it is heard from scratch. The General District Court website is at vacourts.gov/courts/gd/Roanoke/home.html.

Misdemeanor records from the Roanoke City General District Court are searchable through the Virginia GDC online case information portal. Select Roanoke City from the court list. This is distinct from Roanoke County's General District Court. Entering the right locality matters when searching.

Roanoke Police Department Records

The Roanoke Police Department maintains arrest records and incident reports for the city. Arrest records show who was taken into custody, when, and on what charge. They do not show outcomes. Criminal records from Roanoke include arrest records, conviction records, felony records, misdemeanor records, and active warrants. Multiple agencies maintain these records, including the Roanoke Police Department, the Roanoke Sheriff's Office, and the Virginia State Police, as summarized at roanokerecords.us/criminal-records.

To request police records, submit a FOIA request to the Roanoke Police Department. Virginia law gives agencies five working days to respond. For a broader search of Roanoke City criminal history, the court system and the Virginia State Police CCRE are the most comprehensive sources.

The Roanoke criminal records information page outlines what types of criminal records exist for the city and which agencies maintain them.

Criminal records in Roanoke City span arrest reports, conviction records, and court case files from both the Circuit Court and General District Court.

Search Roanoke Criminal History Online

The statewide OCIS search at eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/search lets you search adult criminal records from general district courts and select circuit courts across all Virginia localities at once. When entering Roanoke in the search, be aware that there are two separate Roanoke jurisdictions: Roanoke City and Roanoke County. Make sure you are looking at the right one for your purposes.

For Roanoke City General District Court records, use the GDC portal at eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/. Choose Roanoke City (not Roanoke County) from the dropdown. Results show case numbers, charges, hearing dates, and dispositions for misdemeanor and traffic matters filed in the city.

The Virginia Courts main case information hub at vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home.html explains both systems and provides links. The Roanoke City Criminal Division page at roanokeva.gov/802/Criminal-Division also describes how to access criminal case information online and in person at the records room. Juvenile, sealed, and adoption records are not accessible through any public online tool.

Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks

The Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange holds statewide criminal history for all Virginia jurisdictions, including Roanoke City. The CCRE collects data from courts and law enforcement agencies across the state. A CCRE report gives you a fuller picture of someone's criminal history in Virginia than any single court search. It draws from multiple sources statewide.

To request your own criminal history, complete Form SP-167 with a notarized signature and $15 fee. Authorized agencies submit Form SP-230. Mail requests to the Virginia State Police or bring them to the CARE office at 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, North Chesterfield, VA 23235. Processing by mail takes about 15 to 20 business days. All forms and full instructions are at vsp.virginia.gov/criminal-record-check/.

VADOC Inmate Locator

People convicted in Roanoke City and sentenced to state prison are held at various VADOC facilities across Virginia. The free inmate locator at vadoc.virginia.gov/general-public/inmate-locator/ lets you search by name to find a person's current facility and projected release date. This covers state prison only. People held in the Roanoke City Jail or the Western Virginia Regional Jail awaiting trial or serving short sentences do not appear in the VADOC system. Contact the Roanoke City Sheriff's Office for local custody information.

Criminal Records Access in Roanoke City

Criminal court records in Roanoke City are public under Virginia Code § 19.2-389 and Virginia Code § 17.1-208. The clerk's office provides public access to court records during regular business hours. Anyone can come in and review a public criminal case file. Public access terminals in the clerk's office allow you to search case information on site without needing to ask for help. Staff can assist with pulling files and making copies.

Restricted records include juvenile court files, sealed cases, adoption records, and matters that have been expunged. Under Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2, a person who was charged but not convicted may petition the Circuit Court for expungement. If granted, the record is sealed and removed from public access. The clerk cannot confirm whether a sealed record exists because acknowledging the record would undermine the seal.

Copies of Roanoke City Circuit Court records are $0.50 per page. Certified copies carry an extra fee. The retention schedule for Roanoke criminal records is specific: felony case files are permanent, misdemeanor files are kept for 10 years, General District Court files for 10 years, and arrest reports for 75 years. This means some older misdemeanor records from the 1990s or early 2000s may no longer be available in the clerk's files.

Nearby Virginia Cities

These nearby independent cities each have their own courts and criminal records separate from Roanoke City.