Roanoke County Criminal Records

Roanoke County criminal records are kept by the Circuit Court Clerk and the General District Court, both located in Salem, Virginia. This is Roanoke County, which surrounds but is entirely separate from Roanoke City. The county is part of the 23rd Judicial Circuit. Felony case files are at the Circuit Court Clerk's office and misdemeanor records are at the General District Court. You can search criminal cases online through the Virginia Judiciary's free case information system, or come in person to the courthouse in Salem. State-level criminal history records for Roanoke County are also available through the Virginia State Police.

Roanoke County Circuit Court Criminal Records

The Roanoke County Circuit Court Clerk keeps all felony criminal records for the county. The office is at 305 East Main Street in Salem. Indictments, court orders, sentencing records, and full case files from felony proceedings are stored here. The office is open to the public on weekdays during regular business hours. You can walk in to review a file or ask staff to pull a specific case. Certified copies and standard copies are both available for a fee.

Roanoke County and Roanoke City are two completely separate jurisdictions. The county wraps around the city on most sides, but they have distinct court systems. If you are looking for records from a case that happened inside Roanoke City limits, those records are held by a different court. Roanoke County cases go through the courts in Salem. Salem is also an independent city, but it serves as the administrative home for Roanoke County's courts under the 23rd Judicial Circuit.

Under Virginia Code Title 17.1, circuit court clerks are required to maintain complete and accurate records of all cases. Copy fees are $.50 per page under § 17.1-275. Certified copies cost more. Call the Clerk's office to confirm current fees before your visit.

Roanoke County's official government site at roanokecountyva.gov provides access to court and law enforcement records information.

The Roanoke County Circuit Court and Sheriff's Office handle criminal records for the county, which surrounds but is separate from Roanoke City.

General District Court and Online Case Search

Misdemeanor criminal cases and traffic violations in Roanoke County go through the General District Court, part of the 23rd Judicial District. This court handles class 1 and class 2 misdemeanors, driving offenses, and other lower-level criminal matters. Its records are separate from the Circuit Court. The General District Court is also located in Salem.

The Virginia Judiciary Online Case Information System at eapps.courts.state.va.us is free to use and covers Roanoke County's circuit and general district courts. Search by name or case number. The system returns charge descriptions, hearing dates, case status, and disposition data. It is a useful tool for confirming whether a record exists and getting a case number before you request full documents. The Roanoke County General District Court is also listed on the Virginia courts system at vacourts.gov.

Note: OCIS shows summary case information. Full case files and certified copies are available only from the Clerk's offices directly.

Roanoke County Police and Arrest Records

Roanoke County has its own police department separate from the Sheriff's Office. The Roanoke County Police Department handles most law enforcement and maintains arrest records and incident reports. The Department reports all arrests to the Virginia State Police CCRE within 15 days, so statewide criminal history records for Roanoke County stay current. The county Sheriff's Office also handles some law enforcement functions and court-related services.

You can request arrest records and incident reports from the Roanoke County Police Department under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Virginia Code Title 2.2, Chapter 37 gives the public the right to inspect and copy government records. Agencies must respond within five business days. Some information from active investigations may be withheld. The Virginia FOIA Council at foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov can help you understand what you can and cannot request.

Roanoke County uses the Western Virginia Regional Jail for local detention. People held in this facility may appear in the jail roster system for the regional jail.

Virginia State Police Criminal History Records

Virginia State Police maintains the Central Criminal Records Exchange at vsp.virginia.gov, which tracks all Roanoke County arrests.

Arrests made in Roanoke County are reported to the CCRE and become part of the permanent state criminal history database.

The CCRE is established under Virginia Code § 19.2-387 as the sole criminal recordkeeping agency of the Commonwealth. It holds arrest records, conviction data, and disposition information from all Virginia law enforcement agencies, including Roanoke County. To run a name search of the CCRE, download the SP-167 form from vsp.virginia.gov/forms and submit it with the required fee. A name search costs $15. A combined name and Sex Offender Registry search runs $20.

Under Virginia Code § 19.2-389, access to criminal history records is controlled by law. You can always request your own records. Third-party access is limited to specific lawful purposes. The Virginia Department of Corrections inmate locator at vadoc.virginia.gov lets you search for Roanoke County residents who are or were in state custody. Search by name or offender ID.

Sex Offender Registry Roanoke County

The Virginia Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry is free to search online at sex-offender.vsp.virginia.gov. The registry is maintained by the Virginia State Police under Virginia Code § 9.1-900. You can search by name or by location to see registered offenders in Roanoke County. Both sex offenders and violent sex offenders appear in the public registry, along with their address, photo, and conviction details.

Roanoke County's relatively large population means more registrants than in smaller Virginia counties. Offenders must keep their registration current and notify authorities of any address changes under § 9.1-903. Violent sex offender searches are free on the State Police website at no cost to the user. If you need a formal name check, submit the SP-266 form to the Virginia State Police.

Note: Registry data covers only convicted and registered offenders. Pending cases and charges that did not result in conviction are not reflected in the registry.

Expungement in Roanoke County

Roanoke County residents whose criminal charges ended in acquittal, dismissal, or nolle prosequi may be eligible for expungement under Virginia Code § 19.2-392.2. File the petition in the Roanoke County Circuit Court in Salem. The petition must include the arrest date, the arresting agency, the specific charge, the case resolution date, your date of birth, and the name you used at the time of arrest.

The Commonwealth's Attorney gets a copy of the petition and has 21 days to respond. If you have no prior record and the original charge was a misdemeanor, you are generally entitled to expungement unless the Commonwealth shows good cause to deny it. For dismissed felony charges, the court holds a hearing. If it finds the continued existence of the record would cause manifest injustice, it orders expungement of both court and police files, including electronic records stored in Virginia's systems.

Virginia Code Chapter 23.2 also provides for the sealing of criminal history records in certain cases. This is a related but distinct process from expungement. A Virginia attorney in the Salem or Roanoke County area can help you figure out which process fits your situation.

Legal Resources in Roanoke County

Roanoke County residents who need help with criminal records matters can contact Legal Aid Society of Roanoke Valley, which provides free civil legal services to low-income individuals in the Roanoke area. They can assist with expungement petitions, FOIA requests, and related legal questions. Their website and contact information are available through the Virginia Legal Aid Society network.

The Virginia Courts self-help page at vacourts.gov has guides and forms for common court procedures. The Virginia State Bar's lawyer referral service can connect you with a private attorney in the Salem and Roanoke County region. For victim services, VINE at vinelink.vineapps.com lets victims register to get automatic notifications when an offender's custody status changes. The Virginia FOIA Council at foiacouncil.dls.virginia.gov can answer questions about public records access from Roanoke County police and courts.

Note: This website does not provide legal advice. Contact a licensed Virginia attorney for guidance specific to your case.

Cities Near Roanoke County

Roanoke County borders several independent cities in the Roanoke Valley. Roanoke City has its own separate court system but is closely connected to the county. Salem is an independent city that houses the Roanoke County courts. If you are looking for records from within Roanoke City limits, visit the Roanoke City criminal records page instead.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Roanoke County. If you are not sure which county a case was filed in, check the address to confirm jurisdiction before you search court records.