Iredell County, North Carolina, was formed from Rowan County in 1788 and named after James Iredell, a justice of the US Supreme Court. Its largest city is Mooresville, while its county seat is Statesville. According to the 2020 census, at least 186,693 people live within its total area of 597.39 square miles.
Courts in Iredell County
The Iredell County court system comprises superior and district courts. The Iredell County Superior Court has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases but typically hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of the District Court. It hears some misdemeanors, all felonies, and civil cases with more than $25,000 in claims. The court also has original jurisdiction over probate matters, including the admission of wills and administration of estates and trusts.
The Iredell County District Court is a trial court with jurisdiction over municipal ordinance offenses, misdemeanors, and traffic infractions. It can also handle civil cases with claims of less than $25,000 and felony preliminary hearings. In addition, the court handles juvenile and domestic relations such as divorce, annulment, juvenile delinquency, adoption, child support, and termination of parenting rights.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Iredell County
Public court records in Iredell County are court records open to the public, such as court filings, writs, transcripts, warrants, judgments, and other court information in the Iredell. The Iredell County Clerk of the Superior Court maintains and updates records from both courts. The clerk's office indexes, arranges, presents, and stores in compliance with county and state laws. Members of the public can use the self-service terminals located at the clerk of the Superior Court’s Office to search for criminal cases. They can also view or request copies of public court records at the clerk’s office.
Types of Public Court Records in Iredell County
The availability of public court records in Iredell County allows residents to see the workings of the legal system and improves their trust in the judicial system. The following types of court records are available to the public in Iredell County unless sealed by court orders.
- Criminal Court Records: include court proceedings and judgments for misdemeanors and felonies
- Family Court Records: include divorce decrees, custody orders, and spousal maintenance decrees
- Civil Court Records: including professional malpractices, personal injury cases, employment disputes, product liability, eminent domain, mortgage foreclosures, and contract indebtedness
- Probate Court Records: such as wills, codicils, and documentations of estate assets and liabilities
Confidential Court Records in Iredell County
Confidential court records in Iredell County are sealed to preserve privacy and protect sensitive information. These records are either sealed by default under North Carolina law or by specific court orders. Unlike public court records, they can only be accessed by court orders or by authorized persons. The following are usually excluded from public court records in Iredell County:
- Most juvenile records
- Adoption records
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
- Medical and mental health records
- Intellectual property
- Certain information about victims of sexual and domestic violence
- Dismissed or acquitted charges
Part or all of an Iredell County court record may also be sealed (redacted) if it contains sensitive information such as:
- Social Security number
- Driver’s license number
- Bank account details
- Tax returns.
Juvenile Delinquency in Iredell, NC
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Iredell County, juvenile delinquency crimes are on the rise. There are many reasons for the increase in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in North Carolina often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of offenses, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 261 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Iredell County. Of that total, 91% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 238 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Iredell County, are focusing on family health and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Iredell County juvenile delinquency statistics will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 6,715 |
| Dependency | 571 |
| Status | 606 |
Government of Iredell County, NC
| County Seat: | Statesville |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1788 |
| Total Square Miles: | 597 |
| 2019 Population: | 175,711 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.00 |
| County Contact: | PO BOX 788
County Government Center Statesville , NC 28687-0788 http://www.co.iredell.nc.us |
Iredell County, NC Courts
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Iredell County Superior Court
Address: 226 Stockton St, Statesville, NC 28677
Phone: 704-832-6600