Loudoun County is located in northern Virginia and has a total land area of 515.7 square miles. According to the US Census Bureau, it is the third most populous county in Virginia, with more than 420,000 residents. The county seat is Leesburg, the largest town in the county.

Courts in Loudoun County

The Circuit Court in Loudoun County has general jurisdiction over all criminal cases and civil lawsuits in the county. As the apex trial court, it presides over all felony trials and certain misdemeanors charged by grand jury indictments. Civil lawsuits involving more than $25,000 in monetary disputes are exclusive to the Circuit Court. Other civil cases resolved at the court include property disputes, divorce, probate of wills, and adoption matters. The trial court also listens to appeals from other lesser courts in Loudoun County.

Loudoun County has a General District Court with limited jurisdiction over some civil and criminal cases. District Court judges typically handle felony pretrial hearings, misdemeanor offenses, and local ordinance violations. At Loudoun General District Court, residents resolve civil claims between $4,500 and $25,000. The Small Claims Division of the District Court handles all civil disputes involving less than $4,500 in financial settlements. Traffic offenses are heard at the Traffic Division.

Legal matters involving minors (below 14 years old) are handled by the Juvenile & Domestic Relations District Court in Loudoun. The court hears child custody, child abuse and neglect, adoption, certain juvenile offenses, termination of parental rights, mental health cases involving minors, and protective orders. Felony cases involving juveniles are not within the jurisdiction of Loudoun County Juvenile District Court.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Loudoun County

The Clerk of Circuit Court in Loudoun County creates, maintains, and distributes public court records to requesters. Residents may obtain court documents by visiting the court clerk in person or calling the clerk’s office. Generally, all public court records in Loudoun are accessible online via the Virginia Case Status and Information portal. The online platform contains the following court documents:

• Court dockets
• Transcripts
• Settlement agreements
• Depositions
• Summons
• Plea bargains
• Evidence and exhibits
• Appeals
• Names of involved parties
• Pretrial conference orders
• Sentencing reports

Requesters may need to register with the Loudoun Clerk of Court to access certain court records via the statewide repository.

Types of Public Court Records in Loudoun County

Loudoun County grants public access to various records, including:

• Criminal records
• Civil case records
• Family court records
• Traffic court records
• Small claims court records
• Probate records
• Juvenile court dates and times
• Archived court records

Confidential Court Records in Loudoun County

Court clerks in Loudoun County do not grant public access to the following confidential court records.

• Medical records
• Juvenile records
• Financial records
• Personal identifying records
• Substance abuse records
• Victim identity information
• Grand jury records
• Intellectual property records, such as patent applications before publication
• Records involving national security or classified information
• Attorney-client privileged information
• Sealed and expunged records

Individuals whose names are on these confidential court records may obtain them by visiting court clerks with their valid government-issued IDs. Local court judges may also issue court orders to allow certain persons access to confidential records.

Juvenile Delinquency in Loudoun, VA

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

In 2017, a total of 1081 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Loudoun County. Of that total, 84% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 911 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Loudoun County, VA

https://www.virginia.gov/

County Seat:	Leesburg
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1757
Total Square Miles:	521
2019 Population:	398,080
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00