Find Criminal Records in New Kent County

New Kent County criminal records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk, the General District Court, and the Sheriff's Office in New Kent. You can search New Kent County criminal records online using the Virginia Judiciary case information system, visit the courthouse in person, or submit a written request directly to the clerk's office. This page covers each access method and tells you which office holds which type of record.

New Kent County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The New Kent County Circuit Court Clerk maintains all felony criminal records for the county. The courthouse is located in New Kent, the county seat. The Clerk's Office is open Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Felony indictments, filed motions, court orders, and sentencing documents are all kept here. These records are public unless a judge has sealed them by court order.

Circuit Court criminal records in New Kent County go back many years. Older files may be stored off-site and could require advance notice to retrieve. When you ask for document copies, fees apply under Virginia Code section 17.1-275. Standard photocopies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies carry an additional charge of $2.00 per document.

New Kent County is part of Virginia's 9th Judicial Circuit. The Circuit Court handles all felony criminal matters, civil cases above $25,000, and appeals from the General District Court. The Clerk is an elected constitutional officer who also maintains land records, marriage licenses, and wills for the county.

You can search New Kent Circuit Court cases from home at no cost. Go to the Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System and search by party name or case number. The system shows filing dates, hearing schedules, and final dispositions. For documents not available online, contact the clerk's office directly. Staff can tell you what is on file and how to get copies.

The Virginia Courts case search portal shown below covers New Kent County circuit court records and links to the official statewide case information system.

The statewide portal includes New Kent County cases from both the Circuit Court and the General District Court and is updated regularly with new filings and dispositions.

General District Court Records in New Kent

The New Kent County General District Court hears misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felony charges. Cases here are tried before a judge, not a jury. The court keeps records of warrants, criminal summonses, continuances, and case judgments for misdemeanor cases that arise in New Kent County.

General District Court records in New Kent are public information. You can search them using the Virginia Judiciary case information portal at no charge. The portal lets you search by name or case number and shows current status and dispositions. For certified copies or access to the full paper file, contact the General District Court Clerk at the New Kent courthouse. Standard copy fees apply for all document reproduction. State retention schedules govern how long these records are kept.

New Kent County's General District Court is part of Virginia's 9th Judicial District. Misdemeanor classes handled here range from Class 1 to Class 4. Class 1 misdemeanors carry the most serious penalties. Cases decided here can be appealed to the Circuit Court within 10 days of judgment under Virginia law.

Note: Some case details do not appear in the online system. For a full record review or certified copy for legal purposes, contact the clerk's office directly.

New Kent County Sheriff's Office Records

The New Kent County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the county. It keeps arrest records, incident reports, and investigative files for crimes that happen within New Kent County. The Sheriff's Office also operates the county jail for pretrial detainees and short-term inmates.

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act makes certain arrest records available to the public. You can ask for the date, time, and location of an arrest, the name of the person arrested, and the charges that were filed. Active investigation records are often withheld until the case is closed. The Sheriff's Office reports every arrest to the state Central Criminal Records Exchange under Virginia Code section 19.2-390.

To request records from the New Kent County Sheriff's Office, put your request in writing. Include the full name of the person involved, the date and place of the incident, and any case or incident number you have. Staff will let you know which records are available and what fees apply. Investigative records tied to an open case may be held back until the case closes.

How to Request New Kent County Criminal Records

Start with the free online search at the Virginia Judiciary case information portal. That gives you case status and disposition data without a trip to the courthouse. For copies of actual case documents, you need to contact the right clerk's office or the Sheriff's Office.

For circuit court records, contact or visit the New Kent County Circuit Court Clerk in New Kent. Bring the case name, case number, and a clear list of the documents you want. Staff can tell you what is in the file and whether anything needs to be retrieved from archive storage. Pay by cash or check for most copy requests. Call ahead to confirm payment methods before you visit.

For misdemeanor court records, go to the General District Court Clerk in the same courthouse building. The process is similar. Give them the case information and ask for the records you need. Copy fees apply for all document requests.

For law enforcement records, send a written FOIA request to the New Kent County Sheriff's Office or the county FOIA Officer. The county has five working days to respond. Fees may be charged for the cost of searching and duplicating records. Requests tied to active cases may not receive full disclosure until the matter is closed.

Virginia Criminal History Records and New Kent

The Virginia State Police operate the Central Criminal Records Exchange, which is the statewide system that collects and stores criminal history data from all Virginia localities. New Kent County courts and the Sheriff's Office report to this system as required by state law. A statewide criminal history search will include records from New Kent County.

Go to the Virginia State Police Criminal History Records page to learn how to submit a request. A state-level name search costs $15 using form SP-167. This covers all of Virginia, not just New Kent County. It is the most thorough way to check someone's Virginia criminal history in a single search.

The Virginia State Police criminal history system draws from all localities in the state, including New Kent County, and is updated as courts and law enforcement agencies report new data.

Under Virginia Code section 19.2-390, courts and law enforcement must report arrest and disposition data to the state database. If a disposition was never reported, the record may show an open arrest. Contact the circuit court or the Virginia State Police to request a correction if you spot a missing entry.

FOIA and Expungement in New Kent County

Virginia's Freedom of Information Act gives citizens the right to access most government records. The law is at Virginia Code Title 2.2, Chapter 37. New Kent County agencies must respond to a valid FOIA request within five working days. The county may charge fees based on the actual cost to search and copy records.

Some criminal records are not open to the public. Active investigation files are commonly exempt. Juvenile records are sealed by default. Details about confidential informants are protected. When you submit a FOIA request in New Kent County, the office reviews it and tells you what can be released and what must be withheld. You will receive a written explanation of what you are getting and why anything is being held back.

Virginia law allows certain people to petition for expungement of criminal records. The process is set out in Virginia Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23.1. If your charge was dismissed, you were acquitted, or you received an absolute pardon, you may qualify. The petition is filed in the Circuit Court of the county where the charge was brought. For New Kent County cases, that is the New Kent County Circuit Court.

An expungement removes the record from public access. Law enforcement may still be able to see an expunged record under certain state law exceptions. Talk to a licensed attorney before filing if you are not sure whether your case qualifies. Virginia legal aid programs serve people with limited income who need help with the expungement process.

Note: Virginia expungement law changed in recent years. Review the current text at law.lis.virginia.gov before filing a petition to confirm your eligibility.

Communities in New Kent County

New Kent County is a largely rural county east of Richmond. It includes several small communities, all of which use the county court system in New Kent for criminal filings.

Communities in New Kent County include New Kent, Quinton, Lanexa, Eltham, and Providence Forge. None of these areas currently meet the population threshold for an independent city page. All criminal cases from New Kent County residents go through the county courthouse in New Kent.

Nearby Counties

New Kent County is bordered by several counties in the greater Richmond and Hampton Roads regions. Check the location of your case to make sure you contact the right county's court.