Fairfax County
Fairfax County occupies 391 square miles of land in Northern Virginia. It is the most populated county in Virginia, with more than 1.1 million residents. The county was named in honor of the sixth Lord Fairfax of Cameron, Thomas Fairfax. The City of Fairfax, now an independent city, serves as the county seat.
The Fairfax County justice system consists of the Circuit Court, General District Court, and Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court. As the county's general jurisdiction court, the Circuit Court handles all felony-related cases and civil actions where the amount in controversy is more than $15,000. The Circuit Court also hears contract disputes, tort claims, and medical malpractices. It has appellate authority to review judgments from other county courts. The General District Court in Fairfax County is tasked with resolving minor criminal cases, including traffic offenses, misdemeanors, and felony pre-trials. It also handles eviction disputes between landlords and tenants and civil claims for $15,000 or less. Fairfax County has a Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court that addresses juvenile delinquency, child dependency, child custody/support, and domestic violence.
All documents, case files, photos, dockets, audio/video recordings, judgments, and other relevant information created and kept by the trial courts are collectively referred to as Fairfax County public court records. The Virginia Public Records Act mandates that court records be made public to ensure openness and accountability in the Fairfax County judicial system. Public court records also serve as legal references for future court proceedings. Anyone can request the following public court records from the Fairfax County Circuit Court Clerk:
- Criminal court records
- Civil records
- Family records
- Probate records
However, the Clerk typically prohibits public requests for adoption, mental health, juvenile, sealed, and other confidential court records. To obtain public court documents, individuals can visit or contact the Clerk's Office at:
Fairfax Circuit Court
Attn: File Room
4110 Chain Bridge Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Fairfax County court records copies cost $0.50 per page, $2 per certified document, and an extra $2.50 for an additional triple-seal copy. Interested persons can view court records without charges via the county's eCaseSearch system. To access case information on the online platform, requesters can select the case type and then provide party names or case numbers. Alternatively, they can view court records online free of charge on the state's Online Case Information System.
