Northampton County Criminal History Search

Northampton County criminal history records are on file at the courthouse in Jackson. The Clerk of Superior Court maintains all criminal case records for the county. You can search these records at the clerk window or through the state court system online. Northampton County criminal history covers cases filed over many decades. Records are public and available for review.

Northampton County Clerk of Court

Clerk Laquitta Green Cooper runs the office that holds criminal history records in Northampton County. The courthouse is in Jackson, a small town in the rural northeastern part of the state. Despite its small size, the clerk office keeps a full set of criminal records going back many years. Staff are available on weekdays to help with searches.

Northampton County is part of Judicial District 7 and 7B. Superior Court hears felony cases. District Court handles misdemeanors and lesser charges. Both courts produce criminal history records. The clerk office in Jackson stores all of them. Every arrest, charge, plea, and sentence in Northampton County creates a record kept at this courthouse.

Searching Northampton County Criminal History Records

There are two ways to look up criminal history in Northampton County. You can visit the courthouse in Jackson. Or you can use the online court portal. Each method works well for different needs.

In person, go to the clerk office and ask for a record search. Give the staff a full name. A date of birth helps if the name is common. If you have a case number, that is even better. The clerk will pull the file. You can look through it at the counter. If you need copies, the staff can make them. Certified copies of Northampton County criminal history records cost $25 per document.

Online, use the NC eCourts portal. Pick Northampton County and enter a name. The system shows criminal cases with charges, dates, and case status. Basic searches are free. The portal is a good starting point. It does not show full documents, but it gives you case numbers and key details.

You can also submit Form AOC-CR-314 for a formal criminal record search. This form is on the NC Courts forms page. Fill it out and file it with the Northampton County clerk. This is useful when you need a written response from the court.

Note: Older records in Northampton County may only exist in paper form. If the online portal does not show what you need, call the clerk office. Staff can search older files by hand.

Northampton County Criminal Record Types

Criminal history records in Northampton County fall into several categories. Felony cases are the most serious. These include charges like robbery, drug trafficking, and assault with a deadly weapon. A felony conviction creates a lasting criminal history record. It stays on file unless expunged by court order.

Misdemeanor cases are less severe but still form part of the criminal history in Northampton County. Common misdemeanors include simple assault, petty theft, trespass, and minor drug possession. These cases go through District Court. A misdemeanor conviction appears on your record just like a felony does.

Traffic crimes also produce records in Northampton County. Driving while impaired is the most common. Hit and run and driving on a revoked license are others. These are criminal charges, not just tickets. They show up in a criminal history search. Regular traffic infractions like speeding do not count as criminal but still appear in the court system.

Under NCGS § 132-1, all of these records are public. Anyone can request to view them at the Northampton County courthouse. The clerk provides access during normal business hours.

State Criminal History Resources

A Northampton County search only covers local cases. For a statewide view, turn to the NC State Bureau of Investigation. The SBI keeps a central database of criminal records from all 100 North Carolina counties. Under NCGS § 114-19, they provide record checks to authorized requestors. A fingerprint-based search is the most accurate method.

Northampton County residents can get fingerprinted at the local sheriff office. The prints go to the SBI for processing. Results come back showing any criminal history on file across the state. This is broader than a county-level search. It may show records from Northampton County and elsewhere.

The NC offender search from the Department of Public Safety is free. It lists people currently in prison or on post-release supervision. If someone was convicted in Northampton County and received prison time, that data appears here. The NC DPS website also has information about the corrections system.

Expunction in Northampton County

Certain criminal records in Northampton County can be removed through expunction. NCGS § 15A-145 through § 15A-150 set the rules. Expunction erases the record from public view. After an expunction, a criminal history search in Northampton County will not show that case. The SBI also removes it from the state database.

Eligible cases often include:

• Dismissed charges and acquittals
• First-time drug offenses after probation
• Certain misdemeanors after a waiting period
• Nonviolent felonies after a longer waiting period
• Cases where the defendant was under 18

To start, get the right petition form from the NC Courts website. File it at the Northampton County courthouse in Jackson. A judge reviews the petition and decides whether to grant it. If approved, the record goes away for good.

Violent felonies and registered sex offenses cannot be expunged. For questions about eligibility, contact Legal Aid of North Carolina. They offer free guidance on the expunction process. The NC Courts expunction page is also a good resource.

Public Access to Northampton County Records

Criminal history records in Northampton County are public under state law. NCGS § 132-1 defines public records as those made by government agencies. Court files qualify. Under § 132-6.2, anyone may ask to inspect or copy these records. The clerk must comply. No reason is required.

Certified copies cost $25. Plain copies cost less. You can get copies at the courthouse in Jackson or by mail. For mail requests, send a letter with the case details and payment to the clerk office. The NC Courts records page explains public access rules in full.

Note: Sealed records, juvenile cases, and expunged records are exceptions. These are not available to the public. But for the vast majority of criminal cases, Northampton County records are open for inspection.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Northampton County. Criminal cases are filed where the offense happened. Check the location of the arrest to determine which county has the record.