Hanover County Criminal Records

Hanover County criminal history records are kept at the Circuit Court and General District Court at the County Complex Road courthouse in Hanover. You can search criminal case information online through Virginia's court portals or visit the clerk's offices to request copies of criminal case files and court records.

Hanover County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Hanover Circuit Court is part of the 15th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The Clerk of Court is Hon. Frank D. Hargrove Jr. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday. The main phone number is (804) 365-6151. The criminal division fax is (804) 365-7148 and the civil fax is (804) 365-6278. The court is located in the Hanover County Complex on County Complex Road.

This court handles all felony criminal cases in Hanover County. Hanover County is a growing suburban county north of Richmond. The 15th Judicial Circuit is one of the busier circuits in the state. Felony indictments, jury trials, and felony sentencing all take place here. The clerk's office maintains complete criminal case files for all Circuit Court proceedings. These records include grand jury indictments, pretrial motions, plea agreements, and sentencing orders. They are public records and can be reviewed or copied at the clerk's office.

The Hanover Circuit Court at the County Complex in Hanover handles all felony criminal proceedings. The clerk maintains criminal case files open to public review.

General District Court in Hanover County

The Hanover General District Court is part of the 15th Judicial District. The Clerk is Cheryl Lynn DeVaughn. Office hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Payments are accepted Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 3:45 PM. Payment plans and new civil filings are handled from 8 AM to 3:30 PM. Civil phone: (804) 365-6457. Traffic and criminal phone: (804) 365-6191. Civil fax: (804) 365-6436. Traffic and criminal fax: (804) 365-6290. Address: P.O. Box 176, District Courts Building, 7530 County Complex Rd, 1st Floor, Hanover, VA 23069.

The General District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary felony hearings for Hanover County. This is the court most defendants see first after being charged. Misdemeanor convictions from this court become part of a person's criminal record. The court's detailed hours for payments and certain filings differ from general office hours, so confirm before you go. Visit the Hanover General District Court page for current schedules.

The Hanover General District Court handles misdemeanor cases and preliminary felony hearings. Note that payment hours and filing deadlines differ from general office hours.

Hanover County Sheriff's Office

The Hanover County Sheriff's Office serves the county with a commitment to professionalism, compassion, and accountability. Core values include Commitment, Professionalism, Compassion, Honor, and Accountability. The office provides a range of public services including Crime Statistics, Child Safety Seat Checks, Business Crime Watch, and the Project Lifesaver program that helps locate loved ones who wander due to cognitive disorders. The House Watch Program provides periodic checks of residences when homeowners are away.

The Sheriff's Office also offers an Internship Program for students in Administration of Justice programs. For public records and FOIA requests, the office handles records access through its FOIA services. Off-duty deputy hire services are available for special events. Neighborhood Watch programs operate throughout the county. Visit hanoversheriff.com or the Hanover Sheriff Services page for a full list of available programs. Arrest records from the Sheriff's Office feed into the Virginia State Police statewide criminal history database.

The Hanover County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement services and public records access. Their website lists available services and how to contact the office for records requests.

Search Criminal History in Hanover County

Virginia's Online Case Information System (OCIS) is the primary tool for searching Hanover County criminal records online. Search by name, case number, or hearing date. OCIS covers general district courts and select circuit courts statewide. You can find both Circuit Court and General District Court case data for Hanover County through this system. Case status, hearing dates, and party names all appear in the results.

The General District Court portal provides targeted searches of misdemeanor and preliminary hearing records. The Virginia Courts Case Information hub links all search tools from one page. Use it to navigate to the right system based on what you are looking for. If you cannot find a record online, call the Circuit Court at (804) 365-6151 or the General District Court criminal line at (804) 365-6191.

Hanover County is north of Richmond and part of the Richmond metro area. Cases that cross jurisdictional lines, such as crimes involving multiple counties or cities, may have records at more than one court. Always confirm which court has the file you need before making a trip.

Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks

For an official criminal history report covering Hanover County arrests and convictions, submit a request through the Virginia State Police Criminal Record Check portal. Residents can use Form SP-167 to request their own record. The VSP Central Criminal Records Exchange (CARE) holds statewide data from all Virginia courts and law enforcement agencies. Virginia Code Section 19.2-389 governs access levels. Authorized entities like law enforcement and certain licensing boards get full access. The general public can access conviction data, which is also available at the courthouse.

VADOC Inmate Locator

If someone sentenced in a Hanover County criminal case is serving time in Virginia state prison, you can find them through the VADOC Inmate Locator. Search by name or offender ID. Results include current facility, sentence details, and projected release. Local detainees held in the Pamunkey Regional Jail are not in the state database. For local custody information, contact the Hanover Sheriff's Office.

Public Criminal Records in Hanover County

Criminal court records in Hanover County are generally public. Virginia law gives anyone the right to review and copy court records unless a specific legal exemption applies. The Circuit Court and General District Court both process public records requests during business hours. Fees apply for printed copies. Certified documents cost more but are required for some official purposes like court proceedings in other jurisdictions.

Restricted records include juvenile cases, expunged records, and matters sealed by court order. Victim information may be redacted from documents. Full criminal history reports with all arrest data require authorization under Virginia Code Section 19.2-389. What the public can generally get at the courthouse includes felony convictions, misdemeanor convictions, and open case dockets.

For Hanover County specifically, the General District Court uses separate phone lines for civil and criminal matters. When calling about criminal records, use (804) 365-6191. For payment questions, hours differ from the main office hours, so confirm availability before going in. The Sheriff's Office FOIA services handle requests for law enforcement records that fall outside the court system.

Cities Near Hanover County

Hanover County surrounds and borders the independent city of Richmond to the south. The county also borders the Mechanicsville area, which is an unincorporated community within the county. Nearby independent cities with their own court systems include Richmond and the city of Fredericksburg to the north.

Nearby Counties

These counties are adjacent to Hanover. Each has its own Circuit Court and General District Court for criminal cases.