Henderson County was established in 1838 in North Carolina. Its county seat is in the City of Hendersonville. The county covers a total area of 1,023 square miles in central North Carolina. According to the US Census, in 2020, Henderson County was home to more than 116,000 people, and it has a total land area of about 373 square miles.

Courts in Henderson County

The Superior Court in Henderson County has exclusive jurisdiction over all felony-related criminal and civil cases involving more than $25,000 in financial disputes. As a general jurisdiction trial court, the Superior Court also presides over legal proceedings beyond those of other lesser courts in the county. Probate and guardianship cases are within the exclusive jurisdiction of Henderson County’s Superior Court. Other cases that may be resolved at this court include adoption matters, some injunctions, and appeals from administrative agency decisions.

Henderson County has a District Court tasked with handling most criminal cases, such as infractions, misdemeanors, and traffic offenses. The District Court judge may also preside over preliminary hearings in certain felony trials. Civil cases resolved at the District Court in Henderson County include child custody/support, divorce, and other general civil disputes involving settlements of less than $25,000. The District Court has a juvenile department that handles legal matters involving minors below 16 years old. Magistrates are appointed in the District Court to hear small claims cases involving less than $10,000 disputes and landlord-tenant disagreements.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Henderson County

Generally, the Clerk of the Superior Courts in Henderson County creates, maintains, and distributes public court records. These court documents typically contain one or more of the following information:

• Case Dockets
• Names of Involved Parties
• Transcripts
• Motions and Responses
• Court Judgements
• Complaints, petitions, answers, and briefs
• Appeals
• Certificates of Service
• Discovery Requests
• Settlement Agreements
• Evidence Lists
• Case Summaries

Interested persons can obtain these court documents by contacting the Superior Court clerk. They can also visit the clerk’s office in person to use the public, self-service terminal. To find court records via the terminal, individuals must input details such as defendants’ names, case numbers, or witness/victim names. Court records are also accessible online via the statewide eCourts Portal.

Types of Public Court Records in Henderson County

The following court records are publicly accessible to Henderson County residents:

• Civil records
• Criminal records
• Property liens
• Divorce decrees
• Family court records
• Traffic court records
• Small claims court records
• Probate records
• Land records
• Juvenile court dates and times

Confidential Court Records in Henderson County

Confidential records in Henderson County are exempted from the North Carolina Public Record Act. Examples of these records include the following:

• Personal identifying details such as Social Security numbers
• Sensitive public security documents
• Emergency response strategies
• Recordings from law enforcement agencies
• Databases of 911 calls
• Records of criminal investigations
• Intelligence data and reports
• Materials prepared for trial
• Juvenile records
• Mental health records
• Insurance policy numbers
• Medical records.

Juvenile Delinquency in Henderson, NC

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Henderson 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 214 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Henderson County. Of that total, 64% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 136 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Henderson County, NC

https://www.nc.gov/

County Seat:	Hendersonville
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1838
Total Square Miles:	375
2019 Population:	115,708
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Henderson County, NC Courts