Craig County Criminal History

Craig County criminal history records are maintained at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office at 182 Main Street, Suite 4, in New Castle, Virginia. The Circuit Court, part of the 25th Judicial Circuit, holds felony criminal case records for this small rural county in western Virginia. You can search Craig County criminal cases online through Virginia's statewide court portals or contact the clerk's office directly for in-person records access and case file copies.

Craig County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Craig County Circuit Court is part of the 25th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The Clerk of Court is Hon. Sharon P. Oliver, reachable by email at spoliver@vacourts.gov. The Clerk's office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The Circuit Court maintains records of all felony criminal prosecutions, civil cases over $25,000, land records, and probate matters for Craig County. As one of Virginia's smaller counties, Craig has a more modest case volume, but the same public records access rules apply here as in any other Virginia jurisdiction.

If you need to review a felony criminal case file or get a certified copy of a case disposition from Craig County, contact the Clerk's office directly. Staff can search records by name or case number. Because Craig County is small, some older records may not be fully digitized, and an in-person visit or written request may be necessary for older case data. The official court page at vacourts.gov has current contact information.

The Craig Circuit Court page is shown in the screenshot below. This was taken from the Craig Circuit Court official page on the Virginia Judiciary website.

The page has current clerk contact details and links to the statewide online case search system for Craig County criminal records.

General District Court in Craig County

Craig County's General District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil matters under $25,000. As with many smaller Virginia counties, General District Court services may overlap with or be administered through shared court arrangements with neighboring jurisdictions. For the most current information on Craig County General District Court procedures, contact the Circuit Court Clerk's office at (540) 864-6141. Staff can direct you to the right court contact for misdemeanor and traffic case records in Craig County.

For any criminal case that started as a misdemeanor in Craig County, the statewide online General District Court search system can provide basic case data. The Virginia General District Court Online Case Information System covers traffic violations and misdemeanor criminal cases statewide and is free to use at any time.

Craig County Sheriff's Office

The Craig County Sheriff's Office is located at 182 Main Street, Suite 1, New Castle, VA 24127 (Mailing: P.O. Box 266, New Castle, VA 24127), phone 540-864-5127. The current Sheriff is L. Trevor N. Craddock (R), who has held office since January 1, 2016. The Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement, court security, and jail services for Craig County. For arrest records and incident reports, contact the Sheriff's Office directly at the number above.

The Craig County Sheriff's Office directory listing screenshot below was captured from the county's official directory page.

This screenshot was taken from the Craig County Sheriff's Office directory page at craigcountyva.gov.

The Craig County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for criminal investigations and arrest records in the county.

Craig County uses the New River Valley Regional Jail for detention of people arrested in the county. For inmate information and visitation procedures at the regional jail, visit nrvrj.org or contact the jail directly.

Search Criminal History in Craig County

Virginia's statewide court portals are the main tools for searching Craig County criminal records online. For Circuit Court felony cases, use the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System. This system searches by name or case number and shows case status, hearing dates, and final dispositions for Craig County criminal cases. Older records may not be digitized and could require an in-person visit to the Clerk's office in New Castle.

For General District Court records, the Virginia General District Court Online Case Information System covers misdemeanor and traffic cases. Both systems are free and available around the clock. The Virginia Courts Case Information portal at vacourts.gov provides a central starting point for all court searches in Virginia, including Craig County. Juvenile records and sealed documents are not accessible through public online search tools.

Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks

Certified criminal history record checks for all of Virginia, including Craig County, are available through the Virginia State Police. Submit Form SP-167 through the VSP Criminal Record Check portal. The VSP's CARE office manages the statewide criminal history database. Under Virginia Code section 19.2-389, criminal history records are restricted to authorized users, though court case records are publicly accessible through court-run systems. A VSP record check is the right tool when you need a certified statewide criminal history report that goes beyond what the court online systems provide.

VADOC Inmate Locator

The Virginia Department of Corrections provides an Inmate Locator tool for searching people currently held in state correctional facilities. If someone was convicted of a felony in Craig County and received a state prison sentence, you can look them up through this tool to find their current facility and projected release date. People held at the New River Valley Regional Jail are not included in the VADOC system. For regional jail information, contact the New River Valley Regional Jail directly or reach the Craig County Sheriff's Office at 540-864-5127.

Criminal Records Access in Craig County

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act at Code of Virginia section 2.2-3700 guarantees citizens access to public records. For FOIA requests from Craig County, email FOIA@Craigcountyva.gov or mail to County of Craig, FOIA Officer, PO Box 308, New Castle, VA 24127, phone (540) 864-5010, fax (540) 864-5590. The county must respond within five working days.

The county may charge for actual costs including staff time and duplication. Records commonly withheld in Craig County include personnel files, attorney-client privileged communications, vendor proprietary information, and contract negotiation records. Active criminal investigative files are also protected from public disclosure. For court records that are already public, contact the Circuit Court Clerk's office at (540) 864-6141 rather than submitting a FOIA request, since publicly available court records are not subject to FOIA.

Note: Code of Virginia section 2.2-3703(A)(7) exempts records maintained by the Clerk that are already available to the public from FOIA requirements. This means most adult criminal case dispositions can be accessed directly through the court system without going through the county FOIA process.

Cities Near Craig County

Craig County is a rural county without large incorporated cities. The nearest qualifying cities are Roanoke and Salem, each of which has its own court system separate from Craig County. Criminal cases in Craig County are handled at the county courthouse in New Castle.

Nearby Counties

Craig County borders several other Virginia counties. Each maintains its own criminal history records through local courts.