Bladen County, established in 1734 and named after Martin Bladen, a member of the Board of Trade, is one of the original counties of North Carolina. Located in the southeastern part of the state, Bladen County covers an area of about 879 square miles, making it the 4th largest county in North Carolina by land area. Bladen County has its county seat in Elizabethtown and is home to an estimated population of 30,000 North Carolinians.

Courts in Bladen County

Bladen County's court system is structured to address legal issues through its Superior and District courts. The Bladen County Superior Court handles felonies and misdemeanor criminal cases, civil cases involving more than $25,000, and appeals from the District Courts. The Superior Court has exclusive jurisdiction over probate matters, including wills, guardianships, and estates of decedents.

The District Courts in Bladen County handles criminal cases, including misdemeanors, infractions, and municipal ordinance violations. The court hears civil cases for $25,000 or less, domestic violence protection cases, and mental health commitments. The District Court has a Small Claims Court Division that handles civil disputes for $10,000 or less. The court also handles domestic relations cases, such as divorce, annulments, child custody, paternity, child protection, and juvenile matters, including child neglect, emancipation, foster care, and termination of parental rights.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Bladen County

The Clerk of the Superior Court is the record custodian for both the Superior and District Courts. Interested persons can find public court records in Bladen County at the courthouse where the case was filed.  Record seekers may access the record in person at the courthouse or by written request via mail.

Types of Public Court Records in Bladen County

The following court records are open to the general public in Bladen County:

• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors, including homicide, robbery, drug trafficking, simple assaults, and disorderly conduct
• Civil Court Records: Business litigations, landlord/tenant disputes, restraining orders, contract breaches,  and personal injury claims
• Family Court Records: Legal separation, annulment, divorce, child custody, and spousal and child support
• Probate Records: Wills, conservatorship, name change, guardianships, and name change records
• Traffic Records: Speeding tickets, red light violations, reckless driving, parking violations, and driving with a suspended license

Confidential Court Records in Bladen County

Confidential court records in Bladen County are documents from legal proceedings maintained by the courts that are unavailable to the public. Confidential records are sealed to protect the privacy of the person named on the document. Some  inaccessible court records in Bladen County include:

• Juvenile court records
• Trade secrets
• Mental health commitment records
• Drug and alcohol treatment records
• Adoption records

Personal data contained in court documents are deemed confidential. By law, personal identifying information used to identify a person is confidential and redacted from public court records. The court removes person identifiers to prevent misuse of personal data and safeguard the record holder from potential harassment or fraud. Examples of  personal identifying information are:

• Social Security numbers
• Medical records
• Tax identification numbers
• Vehicle plate numbers
• Confidential informant or crime victims personal information

Juvenile Delinquency in Bladen, NC

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Bladen County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in North Carolina often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 15 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Bladen County. Of that total, 100% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 15 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Bladen County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Bladen County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Bladen County, NC

https://www.nc.gov/

County Seat:	Elizabethtown
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1734
Total Square Miles:	887
2019 Population:	33,478
Persons/Square Mile:	0.03
County Contact:	PO BOX 1048 County Courthouse Elizabethtown , NC 28337-1048 http://www.bladeninfo.org

Bladen County, NC Courts