Nash County Criminal History Lookup
Nash County criminal history records are held at the courthouse in Nashville. The Clerk of Superior Court manages all criminal case files for the county. You can search these records at the clerk office or through the state court system online. Nash County criminal history information covers felonies, misdemeanors, and other charges. The records go back many years and are open to the public.
Nash County Criminal History Office
Clerk Linda Land Thorne leads the office that keeps criminal history records in Nash County. The courthouse is in Nashville, the county seat. All criminal cases from across Nash County are filed and stored here. The office is open weekdays. Staff help the public with record searches and copy requests.
Nash County is part of Judicial District 8 and 8A. Superior Court and District Court both operate here. Felony cases go through Superior Court. Misdemeanors and lesser charges are heard in District Court. Every criminal case creates records. The clerk stores them all at the Nashville courthouse.
| Court |
Nash County Clerk of Superior Court Nashville, NC |
|---|---|
| Clerk | Linda Land Thorne |
| Website | nccourts.gov/locations/nash-county |
The Nashville courthouse serves all of Nash County. This includes Rocky Mount (the Nash County portion), Spring Hope, Middlesex, Bailey, and other towns. If a crime happened anywhere in Nash County, the case is filed at this courthouse.
Search Nash County Criminal Records
You can search Nash County criminal history records in person or online. At the courthouse, give the clerk a name or case number. Staff will look it up. You can view the file at the counter. Copies are available for a fee. Certified copies cost $25 per document.
Online, the NC eCourts portal lets you search Nash County cases from any location. Select Nash County and enter a name. The results list criminal cases with charges, dates, and status. The portal is free for basic information. It does not replace the full case file at the courthouse, but it gives a good overview.
For a formal record request, you can use Form AOC-CR-314. This is the standard form for requesting criminal record checks in North Carolina. Fill it out and submit it to the Nash County clerk. The form is available at the NC Courts forms page. You can also pick one up at the courthouse in Nashville.
Note: The eCourts portal shows case data but not full documents. For complete records or certified copies of Nash County criminal history, visit the clerk office or send a written request by mail.
Nash County Criminal Case Files
A criminal case file in Nash County contains many documents. The first is the charging paper. This may be a warrant, a citation, or an indictment. It lists the charges and the statutes involved. Next come motions and orders. These are requests by the lawyers and decisions by the judge. Bond documents show the terms of release before trial.
The most important document is the judgment. It records the outcome. A guilty plea, a trial verdict, or a dismissal all produce a judgment. The judgment shows what happened and any sentence imposed. This is the core of a Nash County criminal history record. It tells you the final result of the case.
Other records in the file may include:
- Arrest warrants and magistrate orders
- Bond conditions and release papers
- Plea transcripts
- Sentencing orders and probation terms
- Restitution orders
All of these are part of the public record in Nash County under NCGS § 132-1. The clerk must make them available when asked. Some records tied to juveniles or sealed by court order are exceptions.
Statewide Criminal History Searches
A Nash County search only covers cases filed in Nash County. For a broader picture, use state resources. The NC State Bureau of Investigation holds a central criminal history database. It pulls data from all counties. Under NCGS § 114-19, the SBI provides record checks to qualified requestors. Fingerprint checks are the most complete.
The NC Department of Public Safety runs a separate tool. Their offender search shows people in state custody or on supervision. If someone was sentenced in Nash County and sent to prison, they appear here. The tool is free and open to anyone.
Using both the Nash County clerk and the state tools gives you the most complete criminal history picture. County records have the full case file. State records show the bigger scope across North Carolina.
Expunction of Nash County Criminal Records
Some Nash County criminal history records can be expunged. Expunction removes the record from public view. North Carolina statutes § 15A-145 through § 15A-150 govern this process. The type of offense and the case outcome determine eligibility. Time since the case ended also matters.
To file for expunction in Nash County, get the right form from the NC Courts website. Complete it and file it at the courthouse in Nashville. A judge will review the petition. If granted, the Nash County clerk removes the record. The SBI erases it from the state system too. The case will no longer show in any criminal history search.
Dismissed cases and not guilty verdicts are often eligible right away. First-time drug offenses and certain misdemeanors may qualify after a waiting period. Serious felonies and violent crimes usually cannot be expunged. If you are not sure about your Nash County case, ask a lawyer or call Legal Aid of North Carolina for help.
Public Records Law and Nash County
North Carolina law makes most criminal history records public. NCGS § 132-1 says records made by government bodies belong to the people. Court records in Nash County fall under this law. Anyone can ask to see them. The clerk must provide access. You do not need to explain your purpose.
Under § 132-6.2, the clerk may charge for copies. Plain copies have a per-page fee. Certified copies of Nash County criminal history records cost $25. Certified copies bear the clerk seal and prove the document is authentic. Most agencies and courts require certified copies for official use.
Note: Juvenile records, sealed cases, and expunged records are not public. The NC Courts records page explains what is and is not available. For everything else, Nash County criminal history records are open for public inspection at the courthouse in Nashville.
Nearby Counties
These counties share a border with Nash County. Criminal cases are filed where the offense happened. Check the arrest location to find the right county for the record you need.