With about 1.1 million people, Wake County is the most populous county in North Carolina. The United States Census Bureau estimates its size to be about 857.02 square miles. Founded in 1770, the county is home to North Carolina State University and has over 430,000 households. 

Courts in Wake County

Wake County has a range of trial courts serving different purposes. Criminal cases relating to felonies in the county are handled by Wake County’s Superior Court. This court also handles civil matters involving more than $25,000. Finally, the superior court exercises jurisdiction over appellate cases from the county’s District Court. 

The County’s District Court handles civil cases involving less than $25,000 in claims, traffic violations, small claims, and misdemeanors. In total, the county has 20 district courts with jurisdiction over these small claims and minor civil violations.

Wake County’s Family Court has original jurisdiction over family law matters and cases involving minors. The court handles child support, adoption, child custody, and divorce, among other similar cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Wake County

Public court records, including case files, judgments, and lawsuits, are typically obtainable through the Wake County’s Clerk of Court Office. The clerk of the court’s office can issue paper copies of public court records to interested persons at a fee. Interested members of the public can also get these records online.

Type of Public Court Records in Wake County

Members of the Wake County Public can access the following types of public court records:

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

Confidential Court Records in Wake County

Certain court records are not publicly available in Wake County. These confidential records are only available to the parties involved in the case or to the lawyers representing them, provided they produce valid means of identification. However, in some circumstances, the court may release confidential records to a party if it deems it necessary.

Court records considered confidential in Wake County include:

• Juvenile Cases
• Involuntary hospitalisation cases
• Criminal history records
• Domestic violence protective orders
• Pre-sentence reports
• Drug treatment records
• Adoption records

Parties may also make a formal request to the court to seal certain records, such as medical records, tax records, or documents containing a party's intellectual property. However, the court can exercise its discretion to rule in favor or against the application.

Juvenile Delinquency in Wake, NC

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

In 2017, a total of 863 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Wake County. Of that total, 87% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 755 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Wake County, NC

https://www.nc.gov/

County Seat:	Raleigh
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1770
Total Square Miles:	857
2019 Population:	1,072,203
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00

Wake County, NC Courts