Washington County Criminal History Records

Washington County criminal history records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk's office at 189 East Main Street in Abingdon and through the Virginia State Police's Central Criminal Records Exchange. The county is part of the 28th Judicial Circuit. You can search case records online at no charge through state judicial portals, visit the courthouse in person during business hours, or send a written request to Clerk Patricia S. Moore's office for copies of specific criminal case files.

Washington County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Washington County Circuit Court is the trial court with the broadest criminal jurisdiction in the county. It is part of the 28th Judicial Circuit of Virginia. The court handles all felony criminal cases, major civil disputes, family law matters, and appeals from the General District Court and the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court. Clerk of Court Hon. Patricia S. Moore oversees records kept at 189 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24210. The main office phone is (276) 676-6226 and the criminal department line is (276) 477-1909. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with closure on holidays.

Grand jury terms open at 9:00 AM on the fourth Tuesday in January, April, July, and October. Docket calls follow at 10:00 AM on those same dates. For criminal cases, counsel is notified directly by the circuit judicial assistant about plea bargain days and trial dates. The Clerk's office accepts filings by email for criminal and civil pleadings, motions, and letters. Land records and some other filings can be mailed. Note that the court no longer accepts fax; only PDF submissions are taken. This office serves as the FOIA officer for circuit court records under Virginia Code section 2.2-3704.3.

Records access is available online through the Virginia Judicial System homepage. Log in with username "search" and password "28" to view court records. Log out when done. You can also look up case files, title records, and official documents through the clerk's online portal at vacourts.gov.

The Washington County Circuit Court page on the Virginia Judicial System site lists clerk contact details, judge names, and current term dates for the 28th Judicial Circuit.

General District Court in Washington County

The Washington County General District Court sits at 191 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24210. Clerk Ms. Ashley Marie Thomas manages day-to-day court operations. The office phone is (276) 676-6279 or (276) 676-6281, and the fax is (276) 676-3136. This court handles traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal cases, and preliminary hearings for felony charges before cases move to the Circuit Court. Misdemeanor convictions, guilty pleas, and traffic records from this court are part of the broader Washington County criminal history picture.

The General District Court page on vacourts.gov shows contact information, clerk details, and court hours for the Washington County court in Abingdon.

General District Court records for Washington County are searchable online at no cost through eapps.courts.state.va.us/gdcourts/. Use a party name, case number, or hearing date to run your search. Cases appealed from the General District Court go to the Circuit Court for a new hearing on the full record.

Washington County Sheriff's Office

The Washington County Sheriff's Office is at the Public Safety Building, 20281 Rustic Lane, Abingdon, VA 24210. The Sheriff maintains arrest records for all criminal incidents in Washington County and holds the public sex offender registry. To request arrest records, contact the Sheriff's Office directly with a written request and valid identification. Criminal history data gathered through county law enforcement activity feeds into the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange, where a formal record check can be requested.

The Sheriff's Office handles warrant service, court security and transport, civil process service, crime prevention, and communications. Officers assigned to field divisions respond to calls across the county. For records related to criminal investigations, send a FOIA request to the Sheriff in writing. State law allows agencies to charge reasonable costs for research, duplication, and delivery of records.

Search Criminal History in Washington County

Virginia's statewide court portals provide free access to Washington County criminal case records. Start with the Online Case Information System (OCIS) for a broad search of criminal and traffic cases statewide. The General District Court online system covers misdemeanor and traffic records. For an all-in-one lookup, visit the Virginia Courts Case Information System, where you can select Washington County from the court list.

For in-person access, go to the Clerk's office at 189 East Main Street during business hours. Plain copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies carry an additional fee per document. Written mail requests are also accepted. The clerk can search by party name or case number. You can also access records by email: send criminal and civil pleadings, motions, and correspondence to the clerk's office at the contact information listed above. The county's official records search portal at washingtonclerk.com requires a free registration to view document images.

Washington County criminal case files include arrest warrants, indictments, plea records, trial transcripts, sentencing orders, and case dispositions. Civil case materials such as lawsuits, contract disputes, judgments, and liens are also on file with the circuit court. The Clerk's office is the primary custodian of all circuit court criminal records in Washington County. Online case searches do not require registration, but viewing full document images through the secure remote access system requires a monthly subscription.

Virginia State Police Criminal Record Checks

The Virginia State Police maintains the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE), which holds criminal history data from across the state, including Washington County. To request a criminal history record check, complete Form SP-167, get it notarized, and mail it with a $15.00 fee to: Virginia State Police, Civil and Applicant Records Exchange (CARE), 7700 Midlothian Turnpike, North Chesterfield, VA 23235. Full instructions and downloadable forms are available at vsp.virginia.gov/criminal-record-check/.

Under Virginia Code section 19.2-389, criminal history records in the CCRE are available for lawful public purposes. The CARE unit processes both name-based and fingerprint-based record checks. A combined criminal history and sex offender registry check costs $20.00. Sex offender searches alone run $15.00 using Form SP-266.

VADOC Inmate Locator

The Virginia Department of Corrections offers a free public inmate locator at vadoc.virginia.gov/general-public/inmate-locator/. Search by name to find out if someone from Washington County is currently in a Virginia state correctional facility. The tool shows basic location and status data. Local jails and federal prisons are not part of this search. For local jail information, contact the Washington County jail directly through the Sheriff's Office.

Criminal Records Access in Washington County

Most Washington County court records are open to the public under Virginia law. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act and court-specific statutes in Titles 16.1 and 17.1 of the Virginia Code establish a presumption that court records are open. Any exemption must be narrowly applied. For circuit court records in Washington County, the Clerk's office at 189 East Main Street is the starting point. Records are available in person, by email, or by mail. The court no longer accepts fax submissions.

Certain categories of records are restricted from public view. Juvenile cases are sealed by default under Virginia law. Grand jury proceedings are confidential. Medical and mental health records, records related to ongoing investigations, and personally identifiable details such as Social Security numbers and financial account data may be withheld. Sealed or expunged records are not publicly accessible without a court order. If you request records and some material is withheld, the clerk will tell you what was omitted and cite the legal basis for the restriction.

Washington County also has a Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court at 187 East Main Street, Abingdon, VA 24210, reached at (276) 676-6282. This court handles cases involving minors and family matters. Its records are generally restricted from public access, though certain proceedings may be open depending on the nature of the case and any applicable court orders. If you need records from this court, contact that office directly.

Note: The Washington County Circuit Court Clerk's office states that staff are prohibited by law from giving legal advice or recommending ways to pursue legal action. For attorney referrals, contact the Virginia Lawyer Referral Service at 1-800-552-7977.

Cities in Washington County

Washington County is served by the 28th Judicial Circuit, which also covers the City of Bristol. Bristol has its own city court but criminal cases originating in the county go through the circuit court in Abingdon.

Nearby Counties

Washington County is in the far southwestern corner of Virginia. These neighboring counties each maintain separate court records systems.