About Public Records in Virginia

• General Jurisdiction / Upper Courts


• Circuit Courts - One court in most Virginia counties.
• Civil - tort, contracts, and real property rights for claims over $4,500.
• Civil - mental health, estate, domestic relations.
• Criminal - felony and misdemeanor.
• Ordinance violations.



 

• Limited Jurisdiction / Lower Courts


• District Courts - One or more courts in each Virginia county.
• Civil - tort, contracts, property rights to $15.000. Small claims to $4,000.
• Civil - mental health and domestic relations.
• Criminal - felony, misdemeanor, drunk driving, domestic violence.
• Traffic, ordinance, and other violations.
• Juvenile
• Preliminary hearings.

Virginia real and personal property tax records are kept by the County Assessor office in each county.
 

Virginia deeds and general document recording are handled by the Clerk of the Circuit Court in each county. Larger offices have separate divisions for recording. Records kept include deeds, mortgage documents, easements, powers of attorney, marriage licenses, and liens.
 

Birth records are public information 100 years after the date of the event; death, marriage, and divorce records, 50 years after the event. Vital Records are available to immediate family members only- mother, father, husband, wife, child, brother, sister with valid ID. Aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, grandparents, etc. cannot obtain a Vital Record. Virginia Department of Health