New Kent County Criminal History Lookup
New Kent County criminal history records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk's Office and the General District Court at 12001 Courthouse Circle in New Kent. You can search cases online using Virginia's statewide court systems or visit the courthouse in person. This page explains both courts, the Sheriff's Office, and how to find the criminal record information you need.
New Kent County Overview
New Kent County Circuit Court Criminal Records
The New Kent County Circuit Court is part of the 9th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. Hon. Amy P. Crump serves as Clerk. The court is located at 12001 Courthouse Circle, P.O. Box 98, New Kent, VA 23124. Office hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Phone is (804) 966-9520 and fax is (804) 966-9528.
The Circuit Court holds all felony criminal records for New Kent County. Felony case files include indictments, criminal pleadings, hearing records, plea agreements, sentencing orders, and probation documentation. The court also receives misdemeanor appeals from the General District Court and hears those cases fresh. Under Virginia law, court records are generally public unless specifically exempted. The Clerk's Office can search by name or case number and provide plain and certified copies at the applicable fee.
| Office | New Kent County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Hon. Amy P. Crump |
| Phone | (804) 966-9520 |
| Fax | (804) 966-9528 |
| Address | P.O. Box 98, 12001 Courthouse Circle, New Kent, VA 23124 |
| Hours | 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday |
| Website | vacourts.gov - New Kent Circuit Court |
The New Kent Circuit Court page on vacourts.gov provides contact information for the Clerk's Office and links to court services and online case search tools.
General District Court in New Kent County
The New Kent General District Court shares the Courthouse Circle address with the Circuit Court. The mailing address is P.O. Box 127, 12001 Courthouse Circle, New Kent, VA 23124. Rachel Mills Lanham serves as Clerk. The court has two phone lines: (804) 966-9530 for general inquiries and (804) 966-9531 for civil matters. Fax is (804) 966-9535. Hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The court operates under the 9th Judicial District.
The General District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil filings under $25,000. It also conducts preliminary hearings for felony charges, deciding whether evidence is strong enough to send the case to Circuit Court. Misdemeanor cases can be appealed to the Circuit Court for a fresh trial. The co-location of both courts at Courthouse Circle makes it easy for people who need to deal with both levels of court on the same day.
The New Kent General District Court page on vacourts.gov provides Clerk contact information and includes links to case search systems for misdemeanor and traffic records.
New Kent County Sheriff's Office
The New Kent County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. It maintains arrest records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Arrest records include the person's name, charges, date of arrest, and booking details. To request records, contact the Sheriff's Office directly. Written FOIA requests may be required for older records or bulk requests. The Sheriff's Office works with state police and the Commonwealth's Attorney to move criminal cases from arrest through the court process.
New Kent County is a growing county east of Richmond with rural and suburban areas. The Sheriff's Office covers the unincorporated county while also serving smaller communities within the county's boundaries. If an arrest was made by state police, the Virginia State Police would hold the initial arrest records. The Sheriff's Office serves warrants and processes local bookings into the county jail.
Search Criminal History in New Kent County
Virginia's Online Case Information System at eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/search is the starting point for searching New Kent County Circuit Court criminal records. Enter a name or case number to see charges, hearing dates, case status, and final disposition. This system uses real-time court data and is free to use without an account.
General District Court records are searchable at eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/. Accept the disclaimer to begin. This covers misdemeanor and traffic cases from New Kent County and other Virginia general district courts. The unified case search at vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home.html covers both court levels and is useful when you are not sure whether a case ended up in circuit or district court. The Virginia Judiciary's systems are designed to work with Chrome, Firefox, and Edge with cookies and JavaScript enabled.
Note: Online case searches show public case-level information only. Sealed records, juvenile cases, and expunged cases do not appear in these searches.
Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks
Official criminal history checks for New Kent County and all Virginia jurisdictions run through the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange. Individuals can request their own records using form SP-167 and submitting fingerprints. Start at vsp.virginia.gov/criminal-record-check/. Authorized entities use the CARE system. Virginia Code § 19.2-389 governs access to criminal history records, defining who may request them and how they may be used.
State Police checks pull conviction data from all Virginia jurisdictions. This makes them more comprehensive than court-specific online searches. For research purposes, online systems are fast and free. For an official criminal history record, go through the State Police process.
VADOC Inmate Locator
To find someone convicted in New Kent County who is serving a sentence in a Virginia state prison, use the VADOC inmate locator at vadoc.virginia.gov/general-public/inmate-locator/. Enter the person's name to find the current facility, sentence details, and projected release date. This system covers state-operated correctional facilities only, not local or regional jails. For local detention, contact the New Kent County Sheriff's Office.
Criminal Records Access in New Kent County
Under Virginia law and the Freedom of Information Act, most criminal court records in New Kent County are available to the public. You can visit either court at 12001 Courthouse Circle and ask to view case files during business hours. The Clerk's Office searches by name or case number and provides copies at the current fee schedule. No special reason is required to access most court records. You do not have to be a party to the case.
Virginia Code § 19.2-389 limits who can receive full criminal history reports compiled from all jurisdictions. These go to law enforcement, courts, and authorized entities. Court-level access is more limited: you can see the records from the specific court where the case was filed, but you cannot get a full statewide rap sheet without going through the State Police. This distinction matters when you are doing research on someone who may have had cases in multiple Virginia counties.
Records that are not public include juvenile court files, expunged cases, and records sealed by a judge. Grand jury materials are also confidential. If you believe a record is being improperly withheld, submit a written FOIA request and appeal any denial to the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council.
Nearby Counties
New Kent County is east of Richmond between the York and Chickahominy Rivers. These counties border it or share the same regional court circuit.