Orange County
Orange County covers approximately 396 square miles of land in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It was created in 1752 from territories belonging to Johnston, Granville, and Bladen counties. Orange County is home to 145,919 residents, while its county seat is the Town of Hillsborough.
Orange County has two trial courts: the Superior and District Courts. The Superior Court has unlimited jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases in Orange County. Felony trials and general civil cases involving more than $25,000 are exclusive to the Superior Court. The apex court also resolves probate litigations such as contested wills, trusts, guardianships, name changes, designation of estate administrators, and conservatorships. Orange County's Superior Court can also review appeals from District Court judgments.
Meanwhile, the District Court has limited jurisdiction over misdemeanors and civil lawsuits below $25,000. District Court judges in Orange County often handle family law cases involving domestic violence, child custody, and divorces. They also address juvenile cases such as truancy, delinquency, and child dependency. Landlord-tenant cases and small claims matters where the disputed amount is $10,000 or less are within the jurisdiction of Orange County's District Court.
Orange County court records typically show details of different court proceedings. Examples of information on court documents include litigants' names, attorney names, case filings, dockets, pleadings, hearing dates, and judgments. The Orange County Clerk of Court is the official court record custodian in charge of keeping and disseminating court records. According to the Public Records Act in North Carolina, court records accessible to the public include the following:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Probate records
- Traffic records
- Small claims records
On the other hand, confidential court records such as sealed, expunged, juvenile, and adoption records are not publicly accessible. Interested persons can request confidential records by obtaining court orders granting them access. To get Orange County public court records, requesters can send written requests via mail or email. They can also use the public terminal provided at the courthouse:
Orange County Courthouse
106 East Margaret Lane
Hillsborough, NC 27278
Phone: (919) 644-4500
Email: Orange.Clerk@nccourts.org
The North Carolina Judiciary also provides access to Orange County court records online via the eCourts Portal. Online record searchers can access desired records by providing details such as parties' names or court record numbers.
