Pittsylvania County Criminal History

Pittsylvania County criminal history records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk and the General District Court in Chatham, Virginia. This page covers the main offices, online tools, and steps to search criminal cases in Pittsylvania County. The county is one of the larger ones in the Commonwealth and is part of the 22nd Judicial Circuit in Southside Virginia.

Pittsylvania County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Pittsylvania County Circuit Court is the primary court of record for felony criminal cases in the county. It sits within the 22nd Judicial Circuit of Virginia and handles all major criminal prosecutions, including felony charges and appeals from the General District Court. When a felony case is filed in Pittsylvania County, the record is kept by the Circuit Court Clerk's Office and can be accessed by the public.

Hon. Angie R Harris serves as Clerk of the Pittsylvania Circuit Court. Her office files and maintains all criminal case records that come before the court, including felony charges, misdemeanor appeals, and related court documents. The office also manages land records and civil matters, but criminal case files are open for public inspection under Virginia law. Staff can assist you with name or case number searches. Certified copies carry a fee above the cost of plain copies.

The Pittsylvania Circuit Court is based in Chatham, the county seat. Office hours run from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays. You can contact the Clerk's office by phone at (434) 432-7887 or by fax at (434) 432-7913. If you are looking for a specific record, calling ahead helps staff prepare for your visit and confirm whether the document is readily available.

The screenshot below was taken from the Pittsylvania Circuit Court page on the Virginia Judiciary website and shows the clerk's contact details for the court in Chatham.

This view of the Pittsylvania Circuit Court page on vacourts.gov provides the clerk's office contact information and hours for requesting criminal history records in Chatham.

General District Court in Pittsylvania County

The Pittsylvania County General District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. It operates within the 22nd Judicial District of Virginia. Most criminal matters in Pittsylvania County start at this court. Records from the General District Court are public and available for inspection during office hours.

M. LeAnn Holland serves as Clerk of the Pittsylvania General District Court. Office hours mirror those of the Circuit Court at 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays. The court is located at 11 Bank Street, Suite 201 in Chatham. The mailing address is P.O. Box 695, Chatham, VA 24531. For inquiries, call (434) 432-7879. If you are looking for a misdemeanor conviction or a traffic offense record from Pittsylvania County, this is the right office to contact.

The screenshot below shows the Pittsylvania General District Court page on vacourts.gov with full contact information for the court in Chatham.

The General District Court page for Pittsylvania County shows the clerk contact and address for misdemeanor and traffic case records.

Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office

The Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. The office is responsible for arrests, investigations, courthouse security, and service of court papers. Arrest records, incident reports, and criminal investigation files are maintained by this office. Members of the public who want arrest records or incident reports from Pittsylvania County should contact the Sheriff's Office directly in Chatham.

The Sheriff's Office works with both courts on all active criminal matters. Pittsylvania County is one of Virginia's larger counties by land area, so the department covers a wide geographic area. They coordinate closely with the circuit and district courts for felony prosecutions, misdemeanor cases, and related enforcement actions. Contact the Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office for arrest records or crime report information.

Search Criminal History in Pittsylvania County

Virginia gives the public free online tools to search criminal history records. The two core systems are the Circuit Court Online Case Information System and the General District Court portal. Both cover Pittsylvania County cases and let you search by name or case number without any charge.

The Virginia Circuit Court Online Case Information System (OCIS) allows searches for felony and misdemeanor appeal cases filed in Virginia circuit courts, including Pittsylvania County. Results typically include the defendant's name, date of birth, case number, charge details, and disposition. Data tends to go back to around 2009. These results are for general reference only. For an official certified record, you must contact the Pittsylvania Circuit Court Clerk at (434) 432-7887.

For misdemeanor and traffic cases in the General District Court, use the Virginia General District Court Case Information System. You can search by party name, case number, or hearing date. Online payments for fines are also available through the system. The statewide portal at vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home links all the court search tools together if you are unsure where a case was handled.

Note: Online data is not the official court record. Verify important details directly with the Pittsylvania County courts for certified documents.

Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks

The Virginia State Police runs the Civil and Applicant Records Exchange (CARE) program for public criminal record requests. Members of the public submit Form SP-167 to get a name-based criminal history check. Full details and the form are available on the VSP criminal record check page. The CARE office is at 7700 Midlothian Turnpike North in Richmond.

Under Virginia Code 19.2-389, criminal history information can be shared with courts, law enforcement, and authorized individuals. The VSP CARE program also handles employer request forms and fingerprint-based checks. For questions about your legal rights around criminal records, call the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service at (800) 552-7977.

VADOC Inmate Locator

The Virginia Department of Corrections provides an online inmate locator for finding people held in VADOC custody. You search by name or seven-digit inmate ID number. The result shows the person's current facility and expected release date. This is useful for confirming whether someone from Pittsylvania County is serving a state prison sentence.

The VADOC locator only covers people in state prison. It does not show people held in the Pittsylvania County jail or those awaiting trial locally. For pre-trial detention and local jail records, contact the Pittsylvania County Sheriff's Office directly. The VADOC database is updated daily but may have short delays due to transfers and processing.

Criminal Records Access in Pittsylvania County

Virginia law governs access to criminal records in Pittsylvania County. Under Virginia Code 19.2-389, criminal history record information may be released to courts, law enforcement agencies, and the public for authorized purposes. Court records are presumed public under Code Sections 16.1-69.54:1 and 17.1-208. That means most filings, dockets, and case dispositions are open to anyone who requests them.

Certain records are restricted. Juvenile criminal records are generally sealed and not open to the public. Expunged records are removed from public view once the court grants the petition. Records tied to ongoing investigations may also be withheld. The Pittsylvania Circuit Court Clerk and the General District Court Clerk can tell you what is accessible for a given case. If a record you believe should be public is denied, the Virginia Freedom of Information Act provides a process to challenge that decision.

In most situations, people searching for Pittsylvania County criminal history can find what they need through the online tools or by contacting the courts directly. Case dockets, criminal filings, judgments, and sentencing orders are all part of the public record.

Cities Near Pittsylvania County

The City of Danville is an independent city adjacent to Pittsylvania County and has its own court system. Martinsville is another nearby qualifying city in the region.

Nearby Counties

Pittsylvania County shares borders with several Southside Virginia counties. Check the address of the case to confirm which county holds the record you need.