Mecklenburg County Court Records Search

Mecklenburg County is situated on the border in the southwestern part of North Carolina and is an economic hub of major industries. The county seat is Charlotte, and it is the most populous county in North Carolina. The county was established in 1762 and is spread across 523.61 square miles. It is home to six Fortune 500 companies. 

Courts in Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County has one Superior Court and one District Court. The Superior Court has general jurisdiction over all civil and criminal cases and is divided into different divisions. The civil division handles civil matters where the amount in dispute exceeds $25,000. The criminal division, on the other hand, handles all felony criminal cases. The Superior Court also hears appeals from the District Court.

The District Court in Mecklenburg County falls under the 26 judicial district. The court handles civil lawsuits involving less than $25,000, while the criminal division of the court only handles cases that involve misdemeanors and infractions. The District Court has a small claims division that handles civil claims of $10,000 or less. The court also handles domestic relations cases, including child support and custody, divorce, and juvenile matters.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Mecklenburg County

Public court records are documents of legal proceedings made accessible to the public. The Mecklenburg County Clerk of Superior Court Office is responsible for keeping records emanating from all courts in the county. Access to public records is available onsite at the courthouse during operational hours. Alternatively, the Clerk’s office provides an online eCourt portal that makes access to public records quick and convenient. If the records sought are unavailable online, access to such records can be obtained by sending an email request to the Clerk’s office.

Types of Public Court Records in Mecklenburg County

Mecklenburg County makes the following records accessible to the public:

  • Family Court Records
  • Criminal Court Records
  • Civil Court Records
  • Probate Court Records

Confidential Court Records in Mecklenburg County

Confidential court records are records that are inaccessible to the public. Usually, this is because such records have been sealed by a court order or the provision of a statute. These records are different from public court records because only the parties involved and their lawyers can legally view or copy such records. Examples of confidential records include:

  • Juvenile Records
  • Adoption Records
  • Mental Health Records
  • Medical Records

Juvenile Delinquency in Mecklenburg, NC

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Mecklenburg 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 1329 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Mecklenburg County. Of that total, 96% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1279 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Juvenile Cases Number of cases
Delinquency11,657
Dependency2,202
Status6,177

Government of Mecklenburg County, NC

County Seat: Charlotte
Government Type: County
Authority: Dillon's Rule
Year Organized: 1762
Total Square Miles: 546
2019 Population: 1,076,837
Persons/Square Mile: 0.00
County Contact: 600 E 4Th St
County Government Center
Charlotte , NC 28202-2816
https://www.mecknc.gov

Mecklenburg County, NC Courts