Find Criminal Records in Mathews County

Mathews County criminal history records are held at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Mathews and by the Mathews County Sheriff's Office. You can search criminal cases online through Virginia's statewide court systems or visit the courthouse directly. This guide covers the courts, agencies, and tools available for finding criminal record information in Mathews County.

Mathews County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Mathews County Circuit Court is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. Hon. Elizabeth Anne Brown serves as Clerk of Court and can be reached by email at ebrown@vacourts.gov. The court sits at 10622 Buckley Hall Road, Suite A, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 463, Mathews, VA 23109. The Clerk's Office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

The Clerk's Office is responsible for the custody, safekeeping, and proper indexing of all legal papers filed with the court. For criminal matters, this includes felony prosecutions, indictments, conviction records, and sentencing orders. The office also processes concealed handgun permit applications, which involve a criminal history background check conducted by the Sheriff's Office. The Circuit Court handles felony cases and appeals from the General District Court.

The Mathews County Circuit Court page on vacourts.gov provides full contact information for the Clerk's Office and links to court services.

General District Court in Mathews County

The General District Court for Mathews County is located at 10622 Buckley Hall Road, Liberty Square, Mathews, VA 23109. Amy Sue Blake serves as Clerk, reachable at ablake@vacourts.gov or by phone at (804) 725-2242. The court shares a building with the Circuit Court and uses a separate P.O. Box 434 for mail. Hours run from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Mathews County has three court levels: Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. The General District Court hears traffic infractions, misdemeanor cases, and civil matters that do not exceed $25,000. For criminal cases involving individuals under age 18, matters go to the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, which can be reached at (804) 693-4850. Each court type keeps its own records and operates on its own schedule.

The Mathews County government portal at mathewscountyva.gov provides access to the Clerk of Circuit Court page, which includes links to the Virginia Case Management System and court services.

Mathews County Sheriff's Office

The Mathews County Sheriff's Office handles criminal record requests and maintains arrest records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. A typical arrest record includes the individual's name, charges, arrest date, and booking details. For requests involving older records or larger document sets, you may need to submit a written FOIA request. The Sheriff's Office also conducts criminal history background checks for concealed handgun permit applicants before the Circuit Court Judge reviews the application.

Mathews County does not operate its own jail. Detainees are held at the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center, which serves multiple counties in the area. The booking process includes fingerprinting, photographing, and recording personal information. For inmate lookup, contact the regional facility directly.

Search Criminal History in Mathews County

The Online Case Information System (OCIS) at eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/search is the primary tool for searching circuit court criminal records. Enter a name or case number to find Mathews County Circuit Court case information. Results show party names, charges, hearing dates, case status, and final disposition. The system draws from live court data and is updated regularly.

For General District Court records in Mathews County, use the General District Court Online Case Information System at eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/. Accept the terms of use to get in. The system covers misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil matters from district courts across Virginia. You can also access Mathews County case records through the county's own portal at mathewscountyva.gov, which links to the Virginia Case Management System.

The unified Virginia Judiciary case search at vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home.html is another solid option. You can search by name, case number, or hearing date and get results from multiple court types at once. This tool is helpful when you want a broad search across court levels without knowing which specific court handled a case.

Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks

Official criminal history record checks for Mathews County and all Virginia jurisdictions go through the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange. Individuals can request their own records using form SP-167. The process requires a fingerprint card and payment of the applicable fee. Start the request at vsp.virginia.gov/criminal-record-check/. The CARE system handles checks for authorized entities. Virginia Code § 19.2-389 sets out who may receive criminal history information and for what purposes.

State Police checks are the most thorough option because they compile records from all Virginia courts and jurisdictions into one report. Court portal searches are good for case-level research, but they may not show every conviction a person has across the state.

VADOC Inmate Locator

If someone from Mathews County is serving a sentence in a Virginia state correctional facility, you can find them using the VADOC inmate locator at vadoc.virginia.gov/general-public/inmate-locator/. The tool lets you search by name. Results include the facility name, sentence length, and projected release date where available. This system only covers state-operated prisons. For pre-trial detainees or those serving short sentences, contact the Middle Peninsula Regional Security Center.

Criminal Records Access in Mathews County

Most criminal court records in Mathews County are public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. You can walk into the Circuit Court Clerk's Office or General District Court and request to see case files. Court staff can pull records by name or case number and provide copies at the standard per-page fee. Certified copies cost more and require the Clerk's signature and seal. You do not need to be a party to the case to request records.

Virginia Code § 19.2-389 limits access to full criminal history reports. These go only to law enforcement, courts, authorized agencies, and individuals seeking their own records. What the public can access at the courthouse is the case-level information: charge, court date, and outcome. A full statewide criminal history from every jurisdiction requires going through the State Police.

Certain records are not available to the public. Juvenile cases are sealed. Expunged cases are removed from the public record entirely. Cases sealed by court order do not show up in standard searches. Grand jury materials are confidential. If you think a record is being wrongly withheld, you can submit a formal FOIA request and appeal a denial to the Virginia Freedom of Information Advisory Council.

Nearby Counties

Mathews County sits on the Middle Peninsula. These counties are close by. Cases involving residents who moved county lines may show up in adjacent court systems.