Burlington Criminal History Access
Burlington criminal history records are held by agencies in Alamance County. The city sits in the heart of the county along Interstate 40. Burlington is the largest city in Alamance County. Residents and others who need criminal history from Burlington can check with the Alamance County Clerk of Superior Court or the Burlington Police Department. The clerk holds court case files. The police hold incident and arrest reports. Each office has its own rules and fees for record access in Burlington.
Burlington Police Criminal History Records
The Burlington Police Department is at 267 W. Front St., Burlington NC 27215. The non-emergency line is (336) 229-3500. Call this number to ask about police records. The department takes reports for all crimes in the city. These include theft, assault, drug charges, and more. Each report is a public record under North Carolina law.
Police reports from Burlington are not the same as criminal history records. A police report covers one event. Criminal history is a full list of arrests and court cases tied to one person. Burlington police can give you copies of incident reports. For a full criminal history, you need to go to the Alamance County Clerk of Court. This is true across North Carolina. Local police hold reports. Courts hold case records.
To get a police report from Burlington, contact the department by phone or in person. Ask for the records division. Give them the case number or the date and names tied to the report. Fees may apply under NCGS 132-6.2, which sets rules on copy costs. Most reports are ready in a few days.
Note: Burlington police reports cover single incidents, not full criminal history. For complete records, use the Alamance County Clerk of Court.
Alamance County Criminal History Lookup
The Alamance County Clerk of Superior Court is the main source for criminal history in Burlington. The clerk office is at 1 Court Square, Graham NC 27253. Call (336) 570-5200 for hours. Graham is the county seat, just a short drive from Burlington. All criminal cases filed in Burlington go through this court.
Court records are public in North Carolina. NCGS 132-1 says most government records are open. This covers criminal case files in Alamance County. You can view charges, court dates, plea deals, verdicts, and sentences. The clerk keeps files for both district court and superior court cases from Burlington.
District court in Alamance County handles misdemeanors from Burlington. Superior court handles felonies. Both courts are in Graham at the county courthouse. If someone was charged with a crime in Burlington, the case file is at this courthouse. You can ask the clerk to search by name and date of birth. A certified criminal history search costs a fee. Bring a valid ID when you visit.
You can also search Burlington criminal records through the NC eCourts portal. This free online tool covers all counties in the state. Type in a name and it shows cases from Alamance County courts. The portal gives basic data like charges and case status. For full documents, visit the clerk in person.
Note: The eCourts portal may not show very old cases from Burlington. For records before the digital era, visit the clerk in Graham.
State Criminal History Checks in Burlington
The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation runs the statewide criminal history database. This covers all arrests and convictions across North Carolina. A state check pulls records from all 100 counties. If someone lived in Burlington but had charges in Wake or Guilford County, those show up on a state search. A local check in Alamance County would miss them.
State criminal history checks fall under NCGS 114-19. The SBI charges a fee. You get results from across the state. This is useful for people who moved to Burlington from other parts of North Carolina. A local check only covers Alamance County cases. A state check fills in the gaps.
The NC Department of Public Safety also has tools for criminal history research. The offender search page lets you look up people in the state prison system. This covers felons from Burlington who served state time. It is free to use and shows offense details, sentence length, and release dates.
Burlington Criminal Records and State Law
North Carolina public records law is broad. NCGS 132-1 defines public records as all documents made or received by government agencies. This covers criminal history records in Burlington. Police reports, court files, and booking logs all fall under this law. You do not need to give a reason to ask for them. Agencies must respond promptly.
NCGS 132-6.2 governs fees for copies. Agencies in Burlington can charge for the actual cost of making copies. Electronic copies sent by email may be free or low cost. Paper copies cost more. The law says fees should be reasonable. If an agency in Burlington denies a record request, it must cite a specific legal exception.
Some criminal history records in Burlington are not public. Sealed records and expunged cases are off limits. Juvenile records are also restricted under state law. Grand jury proceedings are secret. Apart from these narrow exceptions, criminal records in Burlington are open to the public.
Criminal History Expungement in Burlington
Some criminal records in Burlington can be erased. North Carolina calls this expungement. The rules are in NCGS 15A-145 through 15A-150. Not all charges qualify. The type of offense, the outcome, and time since the case ended all matter. Dismissed cases are often eligible. Some first-time convictions qualify after a wait.
To start an expungement in Burlington, you file a petition at the Alamance County Clerk of Court in Graham. The NC Judicial Branch has the forms online. Download them for free. Fill them out and file them with the clerk. The court reviews the petition and makes a decision. The process takes months.
If granted, the criminal history record is removed from public databases. It will not show up in most searches. Law enforcement can still see expunged records in limited cases. Free help with expungement in Burlington is available through Legal Aid of North Carolina. They review cases and help with paperwork at no cost.
Burlington Court Records Process
Criminal cases in Burlington follow a set path. An arrest leads to charges. Charges lead to a court date. The case moves through the Alamance County court system. Each step creates records. These records become part of the criminal history for the person charged. The full case file is at the courthouse in Graham.
You can track a Burlington criminal case through these steps:
- Arrest and booking by Burlington police or Alamance County deputies
- First appearance before a magistrate
- Court dates in district or superior court
- Plea, trial, or dismissal
- Sentencing if convicted
Each stage adds to the criminal history record. The NC Courts website has more on how court records work in Burlington and across the state. You can also call the Alamance County Clerk at (336) 570-5200 to ask about a specific case tied to Burlington.
Alamance County Criminal History
Burlington is in Alamance County. All criminal cases from Burlington are filed in the Alamance County court system. The county clerk, sheriff, and district attorney handle criminal history records at the county level. For broader details on Alamance County record access, fees, and office locations, visit the full county page.