Onslow County
Located in southern North Carolina, Onslow County became a county in 1839 named after Arthur Onslow, an English politician. The county has a population of about 204,000 residents and a land area of 762 square miles. The City of Jacksonville serves as its county seat and largest city.
The Superior and District Courts are the two trial courts in Onslow County. The Superior Court presides over all felony criminal proceedings and civil actions involving monetary disputes exceeding $25,000. Probate cases such as administration of decedents' estates, guardianships, trusts, and conservatorships are exclusive to the Onslow County Superior Court. The county's general jurisdiction court also has appellate authority to review or modify District Court judgments.
Onslow County's District Court adjudicates criminal cases such as misdemeanors, ordinance violations, and traffic offenses. Civil cases heard at the District Court include foreclosures, contract disputes, and other general civil lawsuits under $25,000. Onslow County residents can approach the District Court to resolve juvenile delinquencies and domestic relations cases. The Magistrate Division of the Onslow County District Court typically settles eviction issues and small claims cases where the amount in controversy is $10,000 or less.
According to the North Carolina Public Records Act, court records created by the Onslow County Clerk of the Superior Court are public documents accessible to any interested person. These records contain court details such as case filings, dockets, depositions, transcripts, motions, and court outcomes. Examples of Onslow County court records based on case types include the following:
- Criminal records
- Civil records
- Traffic records
- Probate records
- Family law records
- Juvenile records
- Small claims records
Court records are open to the public to ensure the Onslow County judicial system remains transparent and fair. These records are also used for research purposes and references for future cases. Anyone can call the Clerk at (910) 478-3600 or send written requests via email to obtain copies of Onslow County public court records. However, court records like juvenile and mental health records are confidential. They are available only to record owners and individuals who obtain special permissions from the court. Eligible persons must visit the Clerk's Office with valid IDs to obtain confidential court records.
Onslow County Courthouse
625 Court Street
Jacksonville, NC 28540
Note that obtaining court documents often incur copy or search fees. Requesters can use the North Carolina eCourts Portal to find Onslow County court records online.
