Spread across 348 square miles, Prince William County is situated to the side of the Potomac River in Virginia. According to the 2020 Census, the County’s population estimate stood at 482,204, making it Virginia's second most populous county. The county’s seat is Manassas.

Courts in Prince William County

Prince William County has a range of courts serving different purposes. They include Circuit Courts, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts, and General District Courts. Circuit Courts in Prince Williams County have original jurisdiction over any criminal or civil cases. However, they only handle cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. The court’s Criminal Division handles felonies and other lesser offenses. The Civil Division handles civil cases where the claims exceed $25,000.

General District Courts have jurisdiction over specific varieties of criminal and civil case options. Criminal cases heard by General District Courts include misdemeanors, traffic infractions, initial felony case hearings, and ordinance violations. The court also hears civil cases where the claim is below $25,000.

Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts have jurisdiction over nearly all domestic relations cases, including a small variety of criminal cases and many juvenile cases. However, their jurisdiction does not extend to divorce cases. Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts may also take care of some offenses focused on child harm or family cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Prince William County

General court records are filed and archived by the Prince William County Clerk’s Office. To access these records, interested members of the public may make a request at the Clerk’s Office or search for the records online. Alternatively, interested individuals can visit the Judicial Center, where most current cases have been scanned and are available for viewing.

Types of Public Court Records in Prince William County

The following types of court records are made available to the public in Prince William County:

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

Confidential Court Records in Prince William County

Confidential court records are records that are not made available to members of the public either because of a court order or by provision of a statute. Examples of confidential records in Prince William County include:

• Juvenile Court Records
• Adoption Court Records
• Identifying Information About Jurors
• Records of Domestic Violence Cases
• Records of Mental Health Cases

Juvenile Delinquency in Prince William, VA

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Prince William 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 1010 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Prince William County. Of that total, 76% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 767 court cases. Another 0% were dependency cases that accounted for 0 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Prince William County, VA

https://www.virginia.gov/

County Seat:	Manassas
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1731
Total Square Miles:	348
2019 Population:	463,023
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	1 County Complex Ct County Government Prince William , VA 22192-9201 http://www.pwcgov.org/