Richmond City Criminal Records

Richmond is Virginia's state capital and an independent city with its own court system that does not share jurisdiction with Henrico or Chesterfield counties. Criminal records for Richmond city are held at the Richmond Circuit Court for felony cases and the Richmond General District Court for misdemeanors. If you want to search Richmond criminal records, you can use the Virginia Judiciary online portal or visit the Circuit Court Clerk's office on North Ninth Street downtown. This page walks through each source, how to request copies, and the state-level criminal history system that ties everything together.

Richmond Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Richmond Circuit Court Clerk maintains all felony criminal records for the City of Richmond. The office is located at 400 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219, and it handles approximately 2,000 or more felony cases each year. Because Richmond is the state capital, the court also sees cases involving state officials, lobbyists, and matters arising from state agency activities. The Clerk's Office uses the Judicial Information Management System (JIMS) for case tracking, and electronic records go back to 1980. Older records are archived off-site.

Public access terminals in the courthouse let you search case data without needing to contact a clerk. For actual document copies, you request at the counter. Copy fees under Virginia Code Title 17.1 are $0.50 per page for standard copies and $2.00 per document for certified copies. Exemplified copies cost $5.00 per document. Cash, check, money order, and credit cards are all accepted.

To request records by mail, send a written request to Circuit Court Clerk, 400 North Ninth Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Include the defendant's name, date of birth, approximate case date, specific documents needed, your contact information, and payment. Processing typically takes five to ten business days. Richmond Circuit Court also participates in the Virginia Judiciary E-Filing System (VJEFS) for attorney-filed documents.

Richmond Police Department Records

The Richmond Police Department Records Section handles requests for incident reports, accident reports, and arrest records. The Records Section is at Police Headquarters, 200 West Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23220. When someone is arrested in Richmond, the department reports that arrest to the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange within 72 hours. That data then appears in the statewide criminal history system.

For local records, you can visit in person, submit an online request, or mail a request to Richmond Police Department, Records Section, 200 West Grace Street, Richmond, VA 23220. Available records under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act include the public portions of incident reports, accident reports, and basic arrest information. The FOIA statute at Virginia Code Title 2.2, Chapter 37 requires a response within five business days. Some information may be withheld to protect ongoing investigations or confidential sources.

The Richmond Sheriff's Office operates the Richmond City Jail at 1701 Fairfield Way, Richmond, VA 23223. The Sheriff's Office provides an inmate locator showing current detainees with booking information, charges, bond status, and court dates. For inmate information, contact the Sheriff's Office or check their online locator at rva.gov/sheriff-justice-services.

The Virginia Judiciary case information system covers Richmond city courts and provides free online access to case summaries.

Virginia Judicial System Case Information

Use the locality filter on this portal and select Richmond City to search cases filed in the city's courts.

General District Court Records in Richmond

The Richmond General District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. The court handles approximately 30,000 or more criminal and traffic cases per year. Records include warrants, summonses, court orders, judgments, and sentencing information for misdemeanor offenses. The court's main location is 920 Hull Street, Richmond, VA 23224.

The General District Court participates in the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System (OCIS) and the Online Payment System (VJOPS). You can search Richmond misdemeanor cases for free at vacourts.gov by selecting Richmond City from the locality list. The court conducts daily criminal and traffic dockets, plus specialized sessions for domestic violence and drug cases.

Copy fees are $0.50 per page for standard copies and $2.00 per document for certified copies. You can submit in-person or written mail requests to General District Court Clerk, 920 Hull Street, Richmond, VA 23224. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Note: Preliminary hearings for felony charges begin in General District Court. If the court finds probable cause, the case is certified up to the Circuit Court for trial or grand jury review.

How to Get Criminal Records in Richmond

Richmond has multiple courts and agencies that hold criminal records. Knowing which one you need saves time. The table below gives a quick guide.

• Felony cases: Richmond Circuit Court Clerk, 400 North Ninth Street
• Misdemeanors and traffic: Richmond General District Court Clerk, 920 Hull Street
• Police reports and arrests: Richmond Police Department Records Section, 200 West Grace Street
• Statewide criminal history: Virginia State Police CCRE via SP-167 form
• Inmate information: Richmond Sheriff's Office, rva.gov/sheriff-justice-services

For online searches, start at vacourts.gov. The free portal covers both Circuit and General District courts in Richmond. It shows names, charges, and dispositions but not actual documents. To get certified copies, contact the clerk's office by mail or in person. Mail requests for the Circuit Court should include a check payable to the Richmond Circuit Court Clerk.

Certified copies of criminal convictions are often needed for legal proceedings, professional licensing, immigration applications, or court-ordered purposes. The Circuit Court Clerk provides certified copies for $2.00 per document plus copying fees. Results are usually ready within one week for in-person requests.

Virginia CCRE and Richmond Criminal History

The Central Criminal Records Exchange is the statewide criminal history repository managed by the Virginia State Police under Virginia Code § 19.2-387. All Virginia law enforcement agencies report arrests and dispositions to the CCRE. This includes Richmond Police. A CCRE name search will pull any Richmond criminal history plus records from other Virginia jurisdictions into a single result.

A name search costs $15 using the SP-167 form. A combined search that includes the Sex Offender Registry costs $20. Forms are at vsp.virginia.gov/forms. Submit with payment by mail to the Virginia State Police. Results are typically returned within a few weeks and cover conviction data for felonies and misdemeanors statewide.

The Virginia Code at § 19.2-389 controls who may receive CCRE records. Individuals can request their own records. Authorized criminal justice agencies can access records for administration of justice. Other parties must have a lawful purpose tied to a state or federal statute. Records received from CCRE must be used only for the stated purpose and cannot be shared further without authorization.

Virginia's full criminal code, which defines all offenses that appear on Richmond criminal records, is at Virginia Code Title 18.2.

Code of Virginia - Crimes and Offenses

This is the reference for the specific statute citations that appear in Richmond criminal case records.

Public Access and Expungement in Richmond

Richmond criminal court records are public. Any person may visit the Circuit Court Clerk or General District Court Clerk and review case files during business hours. No reason is needed. The online case information system makes that access available anywhere with internet.

Expungement in Richmond follows Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2. A person charged but not convicted may file a petition at the Richmond Circuit Court asking for the records to be expunged. The petition must be filed in the circuit court of the city where the case was handled. It must include the date of arrest, name of the arresting agency, the specific charge, date of final disposition, and the petitioner's date of birth and name at the time of arrest.

Once the petition is filed, it is served on the Richmond Commonwealth's Attorney, who has 21 days to object. The court holds a hearing and decides whether the continued existence of the record causes a manifest injustice. If the petitioner has no prior criminal record and the charge was for a misdemeanor or civil offense, expungement is typically granted unless the Commonwealth shows good cause to deny it. Once entered, the expungement order is forwarded to affected agencies, including the police department and the CCRE.

Virginia also has a sealing law under Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23.2, for some convictions. That process is different from expungement. A Richmond attorney familiar with criminal record law can help you figure out which applies to your situation and how to proceed in the Richmond Circuit Court.

Adjacent County Criminal Records

Richmond city borders Henrico County to the north and east and Chesterfield County to the south. These counties have separate court systems. Cases arising in the county go through the county court, not Richmond city's courts.

Nearby Cities

These independent Virginia cities are near Richmond. Each has its own court system for criminal records.