Find Criminal Records in Colonial Heights

Colonial Heights criminal records are kept by the city's Circuit Court Clerk and General District Court, which handle all felony and misdemeanor cases filed within the city. Colonial Heights is an independent Virginia city in the Tri-Cities region with roughly 18,000 residents. Because it is independent from Chesterfield County, it runs its own courts and law enforcement. You can search case records online through the Virginia OCIS portal, or go in person to the court clerk. The Colonial Heights Police Department handles arrest records and incident reports, and the Virginia State Police CCRE stores the official criminal history for all city arrests.

Colonial Heights Circuit Court Records

The Colonial Heights Circuit Court is part of Virginia's 12th Judicial Circuit and holds the official record for all felony criminal cases in the city. The Circuit Court Clerk's Office manages indictments, plea orders, trial records, judgments, and sentencing documents. These records are public and available for inspection during normal business hours.

Colonial Heights Circuit Court is part of Virginia's court system, detailed at vacourts.gov, and maintains all felony criminal case records.

Felony cases in Colonial Heights are heard at the Circuit Court, which is part of the 12th Judicial Circuit.

The 12th Judicial Circuit also covers Chesterfield County. The courts share the same circuit but maintain separate case files and dockets for each jurisdiction. A Colonial Heights case stays in Colonial Heights court records, not Chesterfield. Copy fees run $0.50 per page under Virginia Code Title 17.1, with certified copy fees added on top of that base rate. Written requests sent by mail are accepted with prepaid payment.

General District Court and OCIS

The Colonial Heights General District Court at vacourts.gov handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and felony preliminary hearings for the city. This is where most criminal cases begin. The court keeps records of all case outcomes including convictions, acquittals, and dismissals.

Virginia's Online Case Information System at eapps.courts.state.va.us gives free public access to Colonial Heights criminal case information. You can search by name or case number and see charge details, case status, and hearing dates. For full case files or certified copies, you need to contact the court directly.

Cases that end in conviction at the General District Court level can be appealed to the Circuit Court. That appeal creates a new record at the Circuit Court level. If you are looking for both levels of a case, check both systems. The OCIS portal covers both circuit and general district courts for Colonial Heights.

Colonial Heights Police and Arrest Records

The Colonial Heights Police Department at colonialheightsva.gov/police handles arrest records and incident reports for the city.

FOIA requests for Colonial Heights police records can be submitted to the Records Division of the Police Department.

Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act at foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov, basic incident information is available to the public. This includes the date, time, location, and general description of an incident. Detailed investigative files may be withheld to protect ongoing investigations or confidential informants. The department must respond to your request within five business days. You can submit requests by mail, in person, or through the city's online portal.

All arrests by the Colonial Heights Police Department are reported to the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange. To request an official criminal history record at the state level, submit form SP-167 with a $15 fee to vsp.virginia.gov. The combination search that adds the Sex Offender Registry costs $20. Forms are available at vsp.virginia.gov/forms.

The Colonial Heights Sheriff's Office at colonialheightsva.gov/sheriff manages the city jail and serves civil process. For defendants held pre-trial or serving short sentences, the Sheriff's Office handles custody. Colonial Heights also has access to the Riverside Regional Jail, a regional facility serving the Tri-Cities area, for longer-term detention needs. Victim notification is available through the VINE system for registered victims.

Expungement of Colonial Heights Records

Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2 provides the process for expunging criminal records in Virginia. Colonial Heights residents who had charges dismissed, received a nolle prosequi, or were acquitted may qualify to have those records cleared. Convictions generally do not qualify, though Virginia has expanded eligibility for certain offenses in recent years.

You file the petition at Colonial Heights Circuit Court, where the original case was disposed. The petition needs the arrest date, arresting agency name, the specific charge, the date of final disposition, and your date of birth. After filing, the Commonwealth's Attorney for Colonial Heights has 21 days to object or state no objection. The court then schedules a hearing. If no prior record exists and the original charge was a misdemeanor or civil offense, the petitioner is generally entitled to expungement when the case was dismissed.

Note: Even after expungement is granted, certain agencies such as the Department of Justice may still retain federal records not subject to the state expungement order.

Legal Resources in Colonial Heights

Colonial Heights residents who need help with criminal records can reach out to legal aid organizations in the Richmond metro area. Central Virginia Legal Aid Society serves the region and may assist with expungement petitions for income-qualifying applicants. Call ahead to find out if Colonial Heights falls within their service area and what documentation you need to bring.

The Virginia State Bar referral service can connect you with a private criminal defense or expungement attorney licensed in Virginia. The Virginia Law Help website also has self-help guides for common criminal records questions including how to read a case record, how to request copies, and how the expungement process works step by step.

Virginia's Sex Offender Registry at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov is a free public search tool for violent sex offender information in Colonial Heights and statewide. For a full registry name search using form SP-266, the fee is $15. The VADOC Inmate Locator allows free searches for individuals held in state correctional facilities.

Virginia Code Title 19.2 at law.lis.virginia.gov covers all criminal procedure rules that apply in Colonial Heights courts, from arrest and bail through trial, sentencing, and appeals.

Colonial Heights and Chesterfield County

Colonial Heights is an independent city that borders Chesterfield County. Although the two jurisdictions share the 12th Judicial Circuit, they maintain separate court systems and criminal records. If you need records from Chesterfield County rather than Colonial Heights, visit the Chesterfield Circuit Court Clerk's Office. For more information on county-level criminal records in that area, see the Chesterfield County page.

View Chesterfield County Criminal Records

Nearby Cities

These independent Virginia cities are near Colonial Heights. Petersburg borders Colonial Heights directly but does not yet have a page on this site.