Winston-Salem Criminal History
Winston-Salem criminal history records come from two main sources. The Winston-Salem Police Department keeps arrest records and crash reports at its office on North Cherry Street. Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court holds all court case files. Winston-Salem is the county seat of Forsyth County and the fifth largest city in North Carolina. Both the police and the court are key to any criminal history search in Winston-Salem.
Winston-Salem Police Criminal History
The Winston-Salem Police Department is at 725 North Cherry Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. Call 336-773-7922 for general questions. The Records Section handles all requests for arrest records and crash reports in Winston-Salem. You can get crash and accident reports for free from the Records Section. Other public records cost 6 cents per page after the first 25 pages, as set by NCGS 132-6.2.
Police keep records of all arrests made in Winston-Salem. These files show the charge, the date, and the name of the person. Officers log each arrest at the time it happens. The data goes into the department system right away. You can ask for a copy of any arrest record from the Winston-Salem police.
To get an arrest record from Winston-Salem police, use the online request form. Go to the city website and fill out the arrest records request form. You will need the full name of the person and an approximate date. The form is simple. It asks for your name and contact details too. Submit it and wait for a response from the Records Section.
Note: The record you get from the Winston-Salem Police Department is not a certified arrest record. It is a copy for reference only. If you need a certified record, you must go through the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court.
Winston-Salem Arrest Criminal History
Winston-Salem has an online form for arrest record requests. This makes it easy to ask for records without going in person. The form is on the City of Winston-Salem website. You fill in the details and send it. Staff will process it and send back what they find.
The arrest records request form is free to use. You do not pay to submit the form. If the search returns records, the department may charge for copies. The first 25 pages are free under North Carolina public records law. Pages after that cost 6 cents each. Most arrest record responses are short. They fit well under the free page limit.
When you ask for arrest records in Winston-Salem, be specific. Give the full legal name. Add a date range if you can. This helps staff find the right file fast. Broad requests take more time. The more detail you give, the quicker the response from Winston-Salem police.
North Carolina law under NCGS 132-1 says government records are public. This means arrest records held by the Winston-Salem Police Department are open to the public. Anyone can ask for them. You do not need to give a reason. The law is clear on this point.
Forsyth County Criminal History Records
Criminal cases from Winston-Salem go to Forsyth County court. The Clerk of Superior Court manages all case files. Clerk Denise Hines runs the office. You can reach the clerk at PO Box 20099, Winston-Salem, NC 27120, or call (336) 779-6300. The clerk keeps records of all criminal cases filed in the county, including those from Winston-Salem.
You can get copies of court records from the clerk. Uncertified copies cost $0.25 per page. Certified copies cost $5 for the first page and $2 for each page after that. These fees apply to all criminal case documents in Forsyth County, whether the case started in Winston-Salem or elsewhere in the county.
Court records show more than arrest records do. They include the charges filed, court dates, plea details, and the final outcome. A court record may show a conviction, a dismissal, or a not guilty verdict. It may also show fines, jail time, or probation. Winston-Salem criminal history searches that go through the court give a fuller picture than police records alone.
Note: Court records and police arrest records are separate files. A police arrest record shows the arrest itself. A court record shows what happened after the arrest. For a full criminal history search in Winston-Salem, you may need both.
Search Criminal History Online
You can search Winston-Salem criminal history records online through the North Carolina eCourts portal. This covers all of Forsyth County. Go to portal-nc.tylertech.cloud and search by name or case number. The portal is free for basic case data. It shows party names, charges, case status, and court dates.
The NC Courts website at nccourts.gov has more on how to access court records. You can also find forms at nccourts.gov/documents/forms. These forms work for records requests across all North Carolina counties, not just Forsyth County.
For statewide criminal history checks, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation at ncsbi.gov runs the state criminal records database. Under NCGS 114-19, the SBI keeps a central file of criminal history data from all agencies in the state. This includes arrests made in Winston-Salem. A statewide search may show records from other counties too.
Winston-Salem Crash Reports
Crash and accident reports from Winston-Salem are free. Go to the Records Section at 725 North Cherry Street to get a copy. You can also call 336-773-7922 and ask how to get one by mail. Officers file a report for every crash they respond to. These reports are public under North Carolina law.
A crash report shows the date, time, and location. It lists the drivers and vehicles. It may note citations or charges. If a DWI charge came from a crash in Winston-Salem, the crash report ties to the criminal case. This makes crash reports part of the broader criminal history picture in some Winston-Salem cases.
Criminal History Expungement
North Carolina law allows some criminal records to be expunged. Expungement means the record is erased from public view. Not all records qualify. The rules are in NCGS 15A-145 through 15A-150. Each section covers a different type of case. Some apply to first-time offenses. Others cover dismissed charges or not guilty verdicts.
To file for expungement of a Winston-Salem criminal record, you use the Forsyth County court. You fill out the right AOC form. You file it with the clerk. The judge then decides if your case meets the legal standard. If the judge approves it, the record is sealed. The Winston-Salem police and the SBI both remove the record from their files.
You can find expungement forms on the NC Courts forms page. Legal Aid of North Carolina at legalaidnc.org may be able to help with the process if you have low income. They serve Winston-Salem and all of Forsyth County.
Note: Once a record is expunged, it will not show up in a criminal history search in Winston-Salem or anywhere else in North Carolina. The person can legally say the arrest or charge did not happen.
Winston-Salem Public Records Law
All criminal history records in Winston-Salem fall under the North Carolina Public Records Act. NCGS 132-1 defines public records broadly. It covers any record made or received by a government agency. This includes the Winston-Salem Police Department and the Forsyth County Clerk of Superior Court. Both must provide records when asked.
Under NCGS 132-6.2, agencies can charge for copies. The Winston-Salem police charge 6 cents per page after the first 25 pages. The Forsyth County clerk charges $0.25 per page for uncertified copies. Certified copies cost more. These fees cover the cost of making copies. The agency cannot charge for the time spent searching for the record.
If an agency denies your request, you can ask why. The law lists specific reasons a record can be withheld. Active criminal investigations may be shielded. Sealed or expunged records are not public. Juvenile records have limits too. But most criminal history records in Winston-Salem are open. The North Carolina General Statutes at ncleg.gov have the full text of the public records law.
State Offender Search
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety runs an offender search tool. It covers people in state prison or on probation. Go to the DPS offender search and type in a name. The search is free. It shows the person's current status, the offense, and the sentence. This can be useful when looking into Winston-Salem criminal history for someone who was convicted and sentenced to state custody.
The NC Department of Public Safety website also has data on crime trends and reports. These cover the whole state, but some data can be filtered by county or city. Winston-Salem data falls under Forsyth County in these reports.
Forsyth County Criminal History
Winston-Salem is in Forsyth County. All criminal cases from Winston-Salem go through the Forsyth County court system. The county clerk handles case files, certified copies, and records searches. For full details on county-level criminal history records, fees, court locations, and related resources, visit the Forsyth County criminal history page.