Northampton County Criminal History Records
Northampton County criminal history records are on file at the Circuit Court Clerk's Office in Eastville and with the Northampton County Sheriff's Office. This county sits on the lower Eastern Shore of Virginia. You can search criminal case records online through the Virginia statewide court systems or visit the courthouse on The Hornes Road. This page covers both courts, the search tools available, and what records are open to the public.
Northampton County Overview
Northampton County Circuit Court Criminal Records
The Northampton County Circuit Court is part of the 2nd Judicial Circuit of Virginia. Hon. Traci L. Johnson serves as Clerk and can be reached by email at tljohnson@vacourts.gov. The court is located at P.O. Box 36, 5229 The Hornes, Eastville, VA 23347. Phone is (757) 678-0465 and fax is (757) 678-5410. The court has extended hours from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, longer than many other Virginia circuit courts, which may help people with limited daytime availability.
The Circuit Court maintains all felony criminal records for Northampton County. This includes case files from initial arraignment through sentencing, as well as probation and parole documentation. The court handles serious criminal matters for all of the lower Eastern Shore in the 2nd Circuit. Certified copies of court records are available from the Clerk's Office. You can also reach Clerk Johnson directly via email, which is not common for Virginia circuit courts and provides a convenient way to ask preliminary questions before visiting in person.
| Office | Northampton County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Hon. Traci L. Johnson |
| tljohnson@vacourts.gov | |
| Phone | (757) 678-0465 |
| Fax | (757) 678-5410 |
| Address | P.O. Box 36, 5229 The Hornes, Eastville, VA 23347 |
| Hours | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday |
| Website | vacourts.gov - Northampton Circuit Court |
The Northampton County Circuit Court page on vacourts.gov provides full contact information including the Clerk's email address, which allows residents to reach out before visiting in person.
General District Court in Northampton County
The Northampton General District Court is at 5229 The Hornes, Eastville, VA 23347. Karen Sparrow Merritt serves as Clerk and the phone is (757) 678-0466. Hours are 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The court operates under the 2A Judicial District with Chief Judge Hon. Patrick A. Robbins and Judge Hon. James M. Haynes Jr. presiding.
The court follows a detailed hearing schedule. Civil return hearings and unlawful detainers are on Mondays at 10:00 AM. Contested civil cases follow at 11:00 AM. Criminal proceedings include arraignments at 9:30 AM, misdemeanor hearings at 10:00 AM, and preliminary hearings at 11:00 AM on designated days. Traffic cases are scheduled by the issuing agency: State Police cases at 9:00 AM, Virginia Park Police on the first Monday, Game Wardens on the second Monday, and Virginia Marine Police on the third and fourth Mondays. Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel traffic cases are heard at 11:00 AM. This detailed scheduling reflects the specialized nature of law enforcement on the Eastern Shore.
The Northampton General District Court page on vacourts.gov includes the full court schedule with separate times for different types of cases and issuing agencies.
Northampton County Sheriff's Office
The Northampton County Sheriff's Office maintains arrest records and handles law enforcement on the lower Eastern Shore. Traffic cases from the Northampton County Sheriff are heard at 9:00 AM on specified court days in the General District Court, which reflects the integrated relationship between the Sheriff's Office and the local court system. Arrest records are maintained under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and are available to the public on request.
The Eastern Shore's geographic isolation from the rest of Virginia means local law enforcement agencies coordinate closely. The Northampton County Sheriff's Office works with Virginia State Police, Virginia Marine Police, Virginia Game Wardens, and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel authority, all of which also bring cases to the General District Court. Each agency maintains its own initial arrest records. If you are looking for records from a specific agency, contact that agency directly.
Search Criminal History in Northampton County
Virginia's Online Case Information System at eapps.courts.state.va.us/ocis/search is the best starting point for searching Northampton County Circuit Court criminal records online. Enter a name or case number to find charge information, court dates, case status, and final outcomes. The system is free and does not require an account.
General District Court records from Northampton County are searchable at eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/. Accept the terms of service before searching. This covers misdemeanor criminal, traffic, and civil cases. The unified case search at vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home.html pulls from multiple court types and is useful when you are not sure which court heard a case. Continuances in Northampton County have specific rules: traffic case continuances may be granted by the clerk for the officer's next scheduled date, but subsequent continuances require judge approval. Criminal case continuances involve both the clerk and the Commonwealth's Attorney.
Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks
Official criminal history records for Northampton County are processed through the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange. Request your own history using form SP-167 and fingerprints. Details are at vsp.virginia.gov/criminal-record-check/. Authorized agencies use the CARE system. Virginia Code § 19.2-389 sets out who may receive criminal history records and under what conditions they may be shared.
State Police checks pull records from all Virginia courts, not just Northampton County. This makes them the most complete option for a comprehensive criminal history. Online court searches are useful for research, but they cover only individual courts and may miss records from other jurisdictions where the person may have had cases.
VADOC Inmate Locator
If someone from Northampton County was convicted and is serving time in a Virginia state prison, use the VADOC inmate locator at vadoc.virginia.gov/general-public/inmate-locator/. Search by name to find the current facility, sentence information, and projected release date. This system covers state-run correctional facilities only. For detainees held locally, contact the Northampton County Sheriff's Office.
Criminal Records Access in Northampton County
Criminal court records in Northampton County are public under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. You can visit the courthouse at 5229 The Hornes in Eastville and request case files during business hours. The extended hours at the Circuit Court (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM) give more time to visit and make requests. The Clerk's Office can search by name or case number and provide copies at the standard fee schedule.
Virginia Code § 19.2-389 limits who can receive full statewide criminal history reports. Law enforcement and authorized entities get access to comprehensive records. The public can access individual court case records at the courthouse or through online searches. For a complete statewide record, go through the State Police. The distinction matters when you are looking at someone who may have had cases in Accomack County or other Virginia jurisdictions.
Records that are not available to the public include juvenile files, expunged cases, and records sealed by court order. Grand jury materials are confidential. If a record is wrongly withheld, submit a written FOIA request and appeal any denial to the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council. Email contact with the Circuit Court Clerk makes it easier to ask about availability before making the trip to Eastville.
Nearby Counties
Northampton County is on the southern tip of Virginia's Eastern Shore. Accomack County is directly north and is the only other county on the Virginia Eastern Shore.