Pittsylvania County
Pittsylvania County's system is composed of district, juvenile, and courts. The Pittsylvania County 22nd Judicial Circuit Court is the highest court in the county. It typically handles any cases outside the jurisdiction enjoyed by all other courts within the county. Cases involving crimes, misdemeanors brought on by grand jury indictments, and other offenses with similar circumstances to felonies are heard by it. It also handles adoptions, divorces, probates, and emergency protection orders. In addition, it has exclusive jurisdiction over civil claims above $25,000 but could also work with civil disputes involving claims exceeding $4,500.
Preliminary hearings for felonies, traffic infractions, misdemeanors, and municipal code offenses are held in the Pittsylvania County 22nd Judicial General District Court. This court enjoys an exclusive jurisdiction overseeing each of the civil cases that have claim values less than $4,500 and has joint jurisdiction alongside the Circuit Court when it comes to any of the civil cases valued between $4,500 and a maximum of $25,000. The Pittsylvania County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court has jurisdiction over most domestic relations matters, juvenile proceedings, and certain criminal cases involving injury to a child or family member.
Public court records in Pittsylvania County are court documents that can be examined and copied by the public, and they include writs, depositions, court schedules, motions, court transcripts, court filings, docket listings, judgments, warrants, and orders. The Clerk of the Circuit Court maintains records for the Circuit Court, as well as the clerks of the General District Court and the Juvenile Court, are responsible for maintaining their records.
Unless sealed by court order, Pittsylvania County's public has access to the following kinds of court records:
- Criminal Records
- Civil Records
- Family Law Records
- Probate Records
- Traffic Records
The public can view non-confidential court records at the court clerks' offices. Additionally, they can search the General District Court Online Case Information System platform for public court records available from the Pittsylvania County 22nd Judicial General District Court and the court known as Virginia Courts Case Information (Circuit) portal for public court records from the Pittsylvania County 22nd Judicial Circuit Court.
