Gloucester County
Gloucester County was established in 1651 and named after Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester. It is located on the Middle Peninsula along the Chesapeake Bay. Spanning approximately 217.8 square miles, the county has a population of about 38,875 residents. Gloucester Courthouse serves as the county seat.
Gloucester County operates under Virginia's Unified Court System, which comprises the Circuit, General District, Small Claims, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts. The Circuit Court has general jurisdiction over felony trials, lesser-included offenses, and misdemeanors charged by a grand jury indictment. Other cases heard by the court include general civil claims exceeding $25,000, emergency protection orders, probate of will, divorce cases, and adoptions. It also handles matters such as tort claims, property disputes, and contract litigation. The General District Court oversees misdemeanors, ordinance violations, traffic infractions, preliminary hearings for felonies, and civil cases with claims between $4,500 and $25,000. The Small Claims Division manages disputes under $4,500. On the other hand, the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court handles cases related to juvenile delinquency, custody, child support, family violence, and adoptions.
Gloucester County public court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk and include case filings, transcripts, dockets, dispositions, and rulings. These records are accessible under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), except for sensitive cases like juvenile and adoption records, which remain restricted.
Public court records can be obtained through the Clerk's Office at:
7400 Justice Drive
Gloucester, VA 23061
Phone: (804) 693-2502
Individuals may request physical or certified copies, with fees of $0.50 per page and $2 per certification. Records can also be accessed online via the Officer of the Court Remote Access (OCRA), a subscription-based portal for authorized users, or Virginia's Online Case Information System. This portal allows public searches by case number, party name, or hearing date.
