Find Criminal Records in King William County

King William County criminal records are filed and stored at the Circuit Court Clerk's office and the General District Court as part of Virginia's 9th Judicial Circuit. Felony cases go to circuit court; misdemeanors and traffic matters stay at the general district level. You can search many King William County criminal cases online through the Virginia OCIS portal or visit the courthouse in person. This page covers how to search for criminal records, what the courts keep on file, how to request copies, and where to get legal help if you need it. King William is a rural county in the Middle Peninsula region of Virginia.

King William County Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk in King William County keeps all felony criminal case records. Felony charges including violent crimes, drug offenses, and property crimes above the general district limit all go through this court. The Clerk's file for each case includes the indictment or information, any motions filed, orders issued by the judge, and the final sentencing record. Certified copies of any document in the file cost $.50 per page under Virginia Code § 17.1-275.

King William County is in the 9th Judicial Circuit, which also covers other Middle Peninsula counties. Circuit courts in Virginia are courts of general jurisdiction. They hear felony cases, appeals from general district court decisions, and civil cases over $25,000. The circuit court record is the official record of all felony proceedings in King William County. If a charge starts in General District Court as a felony preliminary hearing and gets certified to the grand jury, the full case then moves to the circuit court record.

King William County's government website at kingwilliamcounty.us connects residents to court and law enforcement offices for criminal records.

The Circuit Court Clerk and Sheriff in King William County handle criminal case records under Virginia's public records laws.

General District Court and OCIS Online Access

The King William County General District Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic charges, and preliminary hearings for felony offenses. This court is part of the 9th Judicial District. Case records at the General District Court level are separate from the circuit court and cover less serious criminal matters. Many of these records are available online.

Virginia's Online Case Information System at eapps.courts.state.va.us lets you search King William County criminal cases by name or case number at no charge. The system shows charge information, hearing dates, and dispositions for most General District Court records. For General District Court details specific to King William County, see the court's page at vacourts.gov.

For cases not found online, you can go to the courthouse during business hours and request a search. Court staff can search by name or case number. You can also request copies of documents you find. The OCIS system does not show every case type, so in-person access is sometimes needed for older records or sealed matters.

Note: Online payment of certain court costs and fines is available through the OCIS portal for eligible General District Court cases.

King William County Sheriff and Arrest Records

The King William County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency for the county. The Sheriff makes arrests, operates the county jail, and maintains arrest records and incident reports. Under Virginia Code § 19.2-390, arrests made in King William County must be reported to the Virginia State Police CCRE within 15 days. This keeps the statewide criminal history database current.

You can request public records from the Sheriff's Office by submitting a written FOIA request under Virginia's open records law. The Sheriff's Office must respond within five working days. Public records that are usually available include basic incident reports and arrest information. Records related to open investigations may be withheld. For help filing a FOIA request, visit the Virginia FOIA Council website. The Sheriff's office is reachable at kingwilliamcounty.us/sheriff.

The VADOC Inmate Locator at vadoc.virginia.gov lets you search for people held in state correctional facilities if a King William County case resulted in a state prison sentence. The VINE notification service at vinelink.vineapps.com lets victims register to get alerts when an offender's custody status changes.

Virginia State Criminal History Records

Beyond King William County's local courts, the Virginia State Police Central Criminal Records Exchange holds the full statewide criminal history for anyone arrested or convicted in Virginia. This database covers King William County along with every other Virginia jurisdiction. A name search using the SP-167 form costs $15. A combined search that also checks the Sex Offender Registry costs $20.

Virginia's criminal procedure statutes, available at law.lis.virginia.gov, govern how criminal records are created and maintained in King William County.

Title 19.2 of the Virginia Code outlines arrest procedures, court processes, and record retention rules that apply in King William County.

The CCRE search is the most thorough option for finding Virginia criminal history. It pulls data from all arrests and court dispositions submitted to the State Police, not just what is visible in the OCIS online search tool. To request a CCRE search, download the SP-167 form and instructions from vsp.virginia.gov. Mail the completed form with payment to the Virginia State Police. The Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov allows free searches for violent sex offenders.

Expungement in King William County

Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2 allows you to petition for expungement of King William County criminal records if your case was acquitted, nolle prossed, or dismissed. You file the petition in the King William County Circuit Court since that is where the case was disposed of. The petition must include your date of arrest, the arresting agency, the exact charge, the disposition date, your date of birth, and the name you used when arrested.

After you file, a copy goes to the Commonwealth's Attorney for King William County. The Commonwealth's Attorney has 21 days to respond with an objection or confirm they have no objection. The court then holds a hearing. If the court finds that keeping the record would cause a manifest injustice to you, it will order expungement. If you have no prior record and the charge was a misdemeanor or civil offense, the law says you are entitled to expungement unless the Commonwealth can show good cause to block it.

Expungement clears the record from public databases and removes it from the court's public index. Law enforcement may retain some records internally. The process typically takes several months from filing to final order. People with complex cases or those facing objections from the Commonwealth's Attorney should consider getting legal help before filing.

Legal Help for King William County Residents

Several resources can help King William County residents with criminal records questions, expungement petitions, and court record access. Some services are free based on income. Others provide referrals to private attorneys.

LawHelpVirginia has self-help guides, court forms, and a directory of legal aid organizations across Virginia. This site is a good starting point if you are not sure where to get help. Virginia Free Legal Answers lets you post a legal question online and get a free response from a licensed Virginia lawyer. This can be useful for basic expungement questions or help understanding your rights.

The Virginia State Bar Lawyer Referral Service is available by calling 1-800-552-7977. This service can connect you with an attorney who handles criminal records or expungement cases in the King William County area. Many attorneys offer a low-cost first meeting. The Virginia FOIA Council can help if you run into trouble getting public records from the Sheriff's Office or a county office.

Cities in King William County

King William County has no independent cities. All criminal cases in the county are handled by the King William County Circuit Court and the General District Court for the 9th Judicial District.

Nearby Counties

The counties below border King William County. Cases are filed in the county where the offense occurred.