Criminal Records in Highland County

Highland County criminal records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk, the General District Court, and the Highland County Sheriff's Office, with the county seat in Monterey. If you need to search for criminal records tied to a case or person in Highland County, you can use the Virginia Judiciary online case portal, visit the courthouse in person, or send a written request. This page covers each office and what you need to do to get the records you are looking for.

Circuit Court Criminal Records in Highland County

The Highland County Circuit Court Clerk is the official custodian of all felony criminal records in the county. The courthouse is in Monterey, the county seat. Office hours run Monday through Friday, typically 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, not including state holidays. The Clerk keeps all felony indictments, court orders, judgments, and sentencing records. These are public records unless sealed by a judge.

Highland County is part of Virginia's Twenty-Fifth Judicial Circuit. The Circuit Court hears the most serious criminal cases, appeals from the General District Court, and civil matters over $25,000. Highland County is one of Virginia's smallest and most rural counties, so the court handles a lower volume of cases than most. The Circuit Court Clerk is an elected constitutional officer with an eight-year term. The same office keeps land records, marriage licenses, and probate files.

To search Highland County circuit court cases from home, use the Virginia Courts case information system. Search by name, case number, or hearing date. The portal shows case status and disposition data. For full file review or certified copies, contact the clerk directly. Fees apply under Virginia Code section 17.1-275. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. Because of the county's small size, staff may need extra time to pull older archived records.

General District Court Records in Highland County

The Highland County General District Court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. All cases are heard by a judge, not a jury. The court keeps records of warrants, summonses, continuances, judgments, and sentencing orders for misdemeanor offenses in Highland County.

These records are public. Search them through the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System. The system allows searches by name, case number, or hearing date. It shows case status and basic disposition data. For certified copies or a full document review, contact the General District Court Clerk at the Highland County Courthouse. Copy fees apply. State retention schedules govern how long records are kept.

Cases decided in General District Court can be appealed to the Circuit Court within 10 days. The appeal is heard as a completely new trial in Circuit Court. Either side can appeal.

Note: Online records may not include all documents in a case file. For complete records needed for legal purposes, contact the clerk in person or by mail.

Highland County Sheriff's Office Records

The Highland County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. It keeps arrest records, incident reports, and investigative files for crimes that occur in Highland County. The Sheriff's Office also manages the county jail. The Sheriff is an elected constitutional officer in Virginia. Given the county's small and rural character, the Sheriff's Office handles a wide range of law enforcement duties.

The image below links to the Highland County Government website, which includes the Sheriff's Office contact information and public records procedures.

The Highland County Government website provides contact information for the Sheriff's Office and guidance on how to submit records requests for Highland County criminal records.

Under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, certain arrest records are public. This includes the date, time, and place of an arrest, the person's name, and the charges. Active investigation records may be withheld. All arrests are reported to the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange under Virginia Code section 19.2-390. To request records, submit a written request to the Sheriff's Office in Monterey with the date, name, and type of record you need.

How to Request Highland County Criminal Records

Start with the free online case search at vacourts.gov for basic case information. This covers both Circuit Court and General District Court records in Highland County. For document copies, you need to contact the right office directly.

For court records, contact the Highland County Circuit Court Clerk or General District Court Clerk at the courthouse in Monterey. Provide the full name, approximate date, and case number if you have it. Staff can confirm what is on file. Pay by cash, check, or money order. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. Fees are set by state law.

For arrest records or incident reports, submit a written FOIA request to the Sheriff's Office. Include all the details you know. The county must respond within five working days of getting your request. Some records are exempt, including those tied to open investigations and records about juveniles. The Virginia FOIA Advisory Council can help if you have questions about your rights as a requester.

Note: Because Highland County is small and rural, processing times may vary. Call ahead before making a long drive to the courthouse.

Virginia CCRE and Highland County Records

The Virginia State Police maintain the Central Criminal Records Exchange (CCRE), which is the statewide database for criminal history. This system collects arrest and disposition data from all Virginia localities, including Highland County. Both the Sheriff's Office and the courts in Highland County are required to report to the CCRE under state law. The CCRE provides the most complete picture of a person's Virginia criminal history.

To request a statewide criminal history report, visit the Virginia State Police Criminal History Records page. This covers all of Virginia, not just Highland County. It is useful when you want a full statewide view rather than just what is on file locally.

Under Virginia Code section 19.2-390, all law enforcement agencies must report arrests and dispositions to the CCRE. If a disposition was not reported, the record may show an arrest without an outcome. Contact the relevant court or the State Police to correct gaps in the record.

FOIA and Expungement in Highland County

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act, found at Virginia Code Title 2.2, Chapter 37, gives the public the right to most government records including many criminal records. Highland County must respond to FOIA requests within five working days. Fees are limited to the actual cost of search and copying. No office can charge more than what the work actually costs.

Active investigation records may be withheld. Juvenile records are sealed. Confidential informant details are protected. Each FOIA request in Highland County is reviewed on its merits. Parts of a record may be released while other parts are redacted. If you believe a denial was improper, contact the Virginia FOIA Advisory Council for guidance.

Virginia law allows certain people to petition for expungement of criminal records. The statute is at Virginia Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23.1. If your charge was dismissed, you were acquitted, or you got an absolute pardon, you may qualify. File the petition in the Circuit Court where the charge originated. For Highland County charges, that is the Highland County Circuit Court in Monterey.

Expungement removes a record from public access but does not erase it from all law enforcement systems. Virginia's expungement rules changed significantly in recent years. Check the current statute to confirm your eligibility before filing, and consider talking to an attorney if you are unsure.

Cities in Highland County

Highland County is one of Virginia's most rural counties, located in the Alleghany Highlands region. Monterey is the county seat and the largest community. The county has no independent cities. All criminal cases from Highland County go through the Circuit Court and General District Court in Monterey.

Highland County has no qualifying cities for individual city pages on this site. All residents file criminal cases through the Highland County court system in Monterey.

Nearby Counties

These counties are near Highland County. If you are not sure which county handled a case, use the county where the incident took place.