Search Roanoke City Criminal Records

Roanoke is an independent city in western Virginia and the largest city in the region. Its criminal records are maintained by the Roanoke City Circuit Court and the Roanoke City General District Court, not by Roanoke County, which is a separate jurisdiction. If you need to find Roanoke criminal records, you can search the Virginia Judiciary case portal online or visit the clerk's office at the Roanoke City Courthouse on Church Avenue. This page covers both courts, the police department, the state criminal history system, and how to get copies of records.

Roanoke City Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Roanoke Circuit Court Clerk maintains all felony criminal records for Roanoke City. The office is located at 315 Church Avenue SW, Roanoke, VA 24011. This is an independent city court and handles cases arising within Roanoke's city limits only. It is separate from Roanoke County's court system. The Clerk's Office maintains comprehensive case files including indictments, motions, orders, judgments, jury verdicts, sentencing information, and appeals.

The court falls within the Twenty-third Judicial Circuit. Cases here involve felonies under Virginia Code Title 18.2, which covers all criminal offenses in Virginia. When a felony case is resolved, the clerk reports the disposition to the Virginia State Police for inclusion in the Central Criminal Records Exchange. That record then appears statewide whenever a name-based criminal history search is run.

Copy fees under Virginia Code Title 17.1 are $0.50 per page for standard copies and $2.00 per document for certified copies. Mail requests should include the defendant's name, date of birth, approximate case date, and payment. The court also provides certified criminal record checks for individuals who need verification of felony convictions in Roanoke City.

Roanoke Police Department Records

The Roanoke Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency for the city. It maintains all arrest records, incident reports, and investigative files for matters that occur within Roanoke's city limits. Roanoke Police report arrests to the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange within 72 hours of booking. That data feeds into the statewide system maintained under Virginia Code § 19.2-387.

For police records specific to Roanoke, you contact the Police Department Records Unit. The Roanoke Police Department website at roanokeva.gov/departments/police-department has current contact information and instructions for record requests. Under FOIA, available records include the public portions of incident reports, accident reports, and basic arrest information. Some details may be redacted if disclosure would compromise an investigation or reveal confidential informant identities. The Virginia FOIA law at Title 2.2, Chapter 37 requires a response within five business days.

The Western Virginia Regional Jail Authority at wvrja.org serves multiple jurisdictions in western Virginia, including Roanoke City. This regional jail maintains inmate records for all participating localities and provides online inmate search capabilities. Roanoke City detainees may be housed there depending on facility capacity.

The Virginia State Police criminal history page explains the statewide records request process, which covers Roanoke city arrests and convictions.

Virginia State Police Criminal History Records

Submit the SP-167 form with a $15 fee to get a statewide name search that includes Roanoke City criminal history.

General District Court Records in Roanoke City

The Roanoke General District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. The General District Court Clerk maintains records separate from the Circuit Court. Misdemeanor records include warrants, summonses, court orders, judgments, and sentencing information. These records are public and can be accessed in person at the clerk's office or searched online.

Online case searches for Roanoke General District Court are available through the Virginia Judiciary system at vacourts.gov. Select Roanoke City from the locality dropdown. The system shows case status, charges, and dispositions. Online fine payment is also available for eligible traffic and misdemeanor cases. For full document copies, you need to contact the clerk's office directly.

Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Copy fees are $0.50 per page for standard copies and $2.00 per document for certified copies. Written mail requests are accepted with payment enclosed.

How to Get Criminal Records in Roanoke

Roanoke city has two main courts that hold criminal records: the Circuit Court for felonies and the General District Court for misdemeanors. Both are located at 315 Church Avenue SW. The police department holds incident and arrest records separately. For a full statewide picture, you need the Virginia State Police CCRE search.

For in-person visits, bring the defendant's name, an approximate date range, and the case number if you have it. Clerks can search by name or case number and pull files from storage. Copies are made on the spot for a per-page fee. For certified copies, tell the clerk you need certification and pay the extra $2.00 per document. For mail requests, send a written request with all identifying information and a check or money order payable to the appropriate clerk. Processing takes about one week.

The free online search at vacourts.gov is a good starting point. It gives you case-level information without needing to visit in person. You can confirm whether a case exists, see the charges and outcome, and get the case number before making a formal records request. The online system does not provide actual documents, only case summaries.

Note: Roanoke City and Roanoke County are completely separate jurisdictions. A search of Roanoke City courts will not show cases filed in Roanoke County, and vice versa. Always confirm which court handled a specific case before making a request.

Virginia CCRE and Roanoke Criminal History

The Central Criminal Records Exchange is run by the Virginia State Police under Virginia Code § 19.2-387. It is the sole state-level criminal records repository in the Commonwealth. Roanoke Police reports all arrests and dispositions to the CCRE, so a statewide name search will capture Roanoke criminal history along with records from any other Virginia jurisdiction where the person has had a case.

Use the SP-167 form from vsp.virginia.gov/forms to request a $15 name search. A combined search that adds the Sex Offender Registry costs $20. Results are mailed back and show conviction data for felonies and misdemeanors statewide. The Virginia Code at § 19.2-389 restricts who can receive CCRE records and how they may be used.

The Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry is free to search online at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov. It covers violent sex offenders statewide, including those registered in Roanoke City.

Public Access and Expungement in Roanoke

Criminal court records in Roanoke City are public. You can review case files at the Circuit Court or General District Court during normal business hours without needing a reason. Online case information is available at no charge through the Virginia Judiciary portal.

Expungement is governed by Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2. If you were charged with a crime in Roanoke City but not convicted, you may file an expungement petition in the Roanoke Circuit Court. The petition must include your name, date of birth, the specific charge, date of arrest, and date of final disposition. It is served on the Roanoke Commonwealth's Attorney, who has 21 days to respond.

The court holds a hearing. If it finds continued existence of the record causes a manifest injustice, it orders expungement of both police and court records, including electronic records. For petitioners with no prior criminal record where the charge was a misdemeanor or civil offense, expungement is typically granted unless the Commonwealth shows good cause to deny it. After the order is entered, the Roanoke Circuit Court Clerk sends it to the Virginia State Police and other relevant agencies for removal of the records.

Adjacent County Criminal Records

Roanoke City borders Roanoke County and the independent city of Salem. These are separate jurisdictions with their own courts and records systems.

Nearby Cities

These independent Virginia cities are in or near the Roanoke Valley region, each with its own criminal records system.