Dare County
Dare County was created in the year 1870 from the collective territories within Hyde, Currituck, and Tyrrell counties in the state of North Carolina. This county was given its name to honor Virginia Dare, the original English child born in the Roanoke Colony in the Americas in 1587. The county's total area of land is approximately 383 miles squared, and its population is over 37,000. Its county seat is the Town of Manteo.
Dare County has two major trial courts, including the Superior and District Courts. The Superior Court, Dare County's general jurisdiction court, often decides all felony criminal proceedings and civil lawsuits involving amounts over $25,000. It also has exclusive authority over cases such as guardianships, contested wills, conservatorships, and overseeing the distribution of estates after death. As an appellate court, the Superior Court in Dare County can modify certain District Court judgments. Meanwhile, the Dare County District Court presides over misdemeanor trials and civil actions involving $25,000 in financial disputes. It also rules on juvenile and family law cases. The Magistrate Division of the District Court hears rental property disputes and small claims involving amounts under $10,000. Magistrates typically preside over civil and criminal cases without juries.
Dare County court records, including documents, books, and recordings created during court proceedings, are public documents under the Public Records Act in North Carolina. These records contain case filings, transcripts, court schedules, case outcomes, fines, and sentences. Public access to Dare County court records helps with research and ensures the judicial system is transparent. The Clerk of Court in Dare County keeps and distributes the following public court records:
- Civil records
- Criminal court records
- Traffic records
- Family law records
- Small claims records
- Probate records
Juvenile and adoption records are confidential and available to only record owners and their legal representatives. To request copies of Dare County court records, anyone can call or visit the Court Clerk at:
Dare County Clerk of Court
962 Marshall C. Collins Drive
Manteo, NC 27954
Phone: (252) 475-5200
Dare County's Court Clerk may request search and duplication fees, per NC General Statutes § 132-6.2b. Interested persons can view public court records online free of charge via the eCourts Portal.
