Wayne County Criminal History Search
Wayne County criminal history records are filed at the courthouse in Goldsboro. The Clerk of Superior Court keeps all criminal case data for the county. Goldsboro is the county seat and the largest city in Wayne County. The court handles felony and misdemeanor cases from across the county. Seymour Johnson Air Force Base is also in Wayne County, though military cases go through federal courts. Civilian criminal matters in Wayne County all go through the state court system.
Wayne County Criminal Court Records
The Clerk of Superior Court in Wayne County holds criminal case files. The office is at 224 East Walnut Street in Goldsboro. Staff can pull records and make copies. Call (919) 731-1435 for case information.
Certified copies of criminal records cost $25 in Wayne County. You can request them at the clerk window. Bring ID when you visit. The clerk searches by name or case number. Plain copies are cheaper than certified ones. Most people who need records for legal purposes get the certified version from the Wayne County clerk.
You can also write to the clerk by mail. Send your request to 224 East Walnut Street, Goldsboro, NC 27533. Include the full name and date of birth. Add a check for $25 per certified copy. The clerk will search Wayne County records and mail the results. Allow one to two weeks for mail requests.
| Court |
Wayne County Clerk of Superior Court 224 East Walnut Street Goldsboro, NC 27533 Phone: (919) 731-1435 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | nccourts.gov/locations/wayne-county |
Criminal History Search Options
You can look up criminal history in Wayne County online or in person. The eCourts portal at portal-nc.tylertech.cloud is the main online tool. Search by name to find cases from Wayne County and all other NC counties. The portal is free for basic case data.
Online results show charges, court dates, and case outcomes. They may not show every document in the file. For a complete review, visit the clerk in Goldsboro. In-person access lets you see the full case file. This includes plea forms, motions, and orders that may not be in the digital system yet.
The SBI at ncsbi.gov handles statewide criminal history checks. Under NCGS 114-19, the SBI keeps the state criminal record database. This is the broadest search available. It covers all 100 counties in North Carolina.
Note: Not all Wayne County records are in the online system. Older cases may be on paper only. Contact the clerk to ask about records that do not appear in the portal.
Wayne County Criminal Records
Criminal records in Wayne County span many case types. Superior Court handles felonies. District Court handles misdemeanors. Both courts sit in the Goldsboro courthouse.
A criminal case file in Wayne County may contain:
- Grand jury indictments or criminal summons
- Arrest warrants and search warrants
- Motions and court orders
- Plea agreements
- Trial verdicts and judgments
- Sentencing and probation orders
These records are public under NCGS 132-1. The Public Records Act makes most court files open to anyone. No appointment is needed. No reason is required. Sealed and expunged records are not available. Juvenile cases are closed. Everything else in the Wayne County criminal file is open to the public.
Arrest Records in Wayne County
The Wayne County Sheriff keeps arrest records for the county. Goldsboro Police also hold their own records. Each agency maintains booking data. An arrest record shows the charge at the time of booking. It does not show the case outcome.
Court records show what happened after the arrest. A person may be arrested but not charged. Or the charges may change. The final court record in Wayne County is the most accurate source for the outcome of a criminal matter.
For inmates in state custody from Wayne County, the NC DPS offender search at webapps.doc.state.nc.us provides details. Search by name or ID. It shows the offense, sentence, and release information for people from all counties.
Wayne County Criminal History Expunctions
Some criminal records in Wayne County can be expunged. Expunction erases the record from public view. NCGS 15A-145 through 15A-150 govern the process. Not all records qualify. Eligibility depends on the charge, the outcome, and the person's history.
Dismissed charges are the most common type eligible. Certain misdemeanor convictions may qualify after a waiting period. A few felony categories can be expunged under specific conditions. The person must file a petition with the Wayne County court. Petition forms are at nccourts.gov/documents/forms.
A judge reviews each request. If the criteria are met, the expunction is granted. The Wayne County clerk then removes the record from public files. The nccourts.gov expunctions page has more details on the process and requirements.
Note: Even after expunction, the record may still be visible to certain law enforcement agencies in limited situations under North Carolina law.
State Record Resources
State agencies hold criminal data that includes Wayne County. The Department of Public Safety at ncdps.gov runs prisons and probation statewide. The courts website at nccourts.gov has information on procedures and access rules.
The court records help topic explains public access rights under NCGS 132-1 and NCGS 132-6.2. The general statutes are at ncleg.gov. These laws control what goes into a criminal record and who can view it in Wayne County and across the state.
Legal Aid of North Carolina at legalaidnc.org provides free legal help to low-income people. They handle expunction cases and can explain criminal record rights. Contact them to see if you qualify for help with a Wayne County record issue.
Nearby Counties
These counties are near Wayne County. Criminal cases are filed where the offense happened. If the crime was in a bordering county, that county's clerk holds the record.