Chapel Hill Criminal Court Records

Chapel Hill criminal court records are kept at the Orange County Clerk of Superior Court in Hillsborough. The town is in the heart of the Research Triangle area and is home to the University of North Carolina. Chapel Hill has no criminal court of its own. All criminal cases go through Orange County courts in Judicial District 18. A small part of Chapel Hill extends into Durham County. This page explains how to search for criminal court records from Chapel Hill cases in both counties.

Search Public Records

Chapel Hill Criminal Court Records

North Carolina handles all criminal cases at the county level. Chapel Hill has no municipal criminal court. Criminal charges filed in Chapel Hill go to Orange County courts. The main courthouse is in Hillsborough at 106 E. Margaret Lane. Orange County also has a courthouse annex in Chapel Hill for some court sessions.

District Court hears misdemeanors. A judge rules without a jury. Superior Court takes felonies and appeals. Felony defendants get a jury. The Dispute Settlement Center at (919) 929-8800 also serves Chapel Hill for cases that may qualify for mediation.

Court	Orange County Clerk of Superior Court
Address	106 E. Margaret Lane Hillsborough, NC 27278
Phone	(919) 644-4500
Hours	Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Website	nccourts.gov/locations/orange-county

Free three-hour parking is available on East Margaret Lane near the courthouse. Bags and purses are not allowed inside the building. Plan to leave those in your car.

Note: A small part of Chapel Hill is in Durham County, so some cases may be filed there instead of Orange County.

Search Chapel Hill Criminal Court Records

The NC eCourts Portal is the best place to start. It is free and open 24 hours a day. You can search by name, case number, or citation number. The portal covers Orange County and all other NC counties. If a Chapel Hill case was filed in Durham County, you can search that county too from the same portal.

For in-person searches, the Orange County clerk has self-service terminals at the Hillsborough courthouse. These are free to use. You can search by defendant name or case number. Staff can retrieve paper files on request.

Copies cost $2.00 for the first page and $0.25 for each page after. Certified copies are $3.00 each. A certified criminal record check uses Form AOC-CR-314 and costs $25 per name. Submit it to the Orange County clerk in person or by mail.

Chapel Hill Cases in Durham County

A small section of Chapel Hill crosses into Durham County. If an arrest happens in that area, the case may go through Durham County courts instead of Orange County. The Durham County Clerk of Superior Court is at 510 S. Dillard Street in Durham. The phone number is (919) 808-3000.

When searching for Chapel Hill criminal court records, check both Orange County and Durham County if you are not sure where the charges were filed. The eCourts portal makes this simple. Just select the right county from the drop-down menu.

Chapel Hill Police and Criminal Records

The Chapel Hill Police Department is at 828 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Call (919) 968-2765 for their records division. The non-emergency line is (919) 968-2760. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Police reports and arrest records are kept by the police department. These are different from court records. If you need the court file for a Chapel Hill criminal case, contact the Orange County clerk at (919) 644-4500. The NC Courts records page explains how to request court documents from any county.

NC Courts obtaining court records information for Chapel Hill cases

The magistrate office in Orange County handles warrants, bail, and initial hearings for Chapel Hill arrests. You can reach the magistrates at (919) 644-4690.

Statewide Criminal Court Records Tools

The NC State Bureau of Investigation provides statewide criminal history checks. A state fingerprint check is $14. A national FBI check is $18. These cover more than a single county search. The SBI has records going back to 1937.

The NC Department of Adult Correction offender search covers state prison inmates, probationers, and parolees. Data goes back to 1972. It does not include people held in the Orange County or Durham County jails.

The NC Sex Offender Registry lets you search for registered offenders near any Chapel Hill address. The registry is public under G.S. 14-208.5.

Restricted Criminal Records in Chapel Hill

Some criminal court records from Chapel Hill are not public. Juvenile records are sealed under N.C.G.S. 7B-3000. Expunged cases are removed from all databases. Grand jury proceedings are secret. Active investigation files are exempt from disclosure under G.S. 132-1.4.

Chapel Hill is home to the University of North Carolina. The town has a large student population. Criminal cases involving juveniles under 16 go through the juvenile system, and those records are not available to the public. For adults, most criminal court records in Orange County are open for review. Sealed or expunged records are the exception.

Under N.C.G.S. Chapter 132, court records are public. You can view criminal case files, docket sheets, and judgments from Chapel Hill cases at the Orange County courthouse in Hillsborough. No appointment is needed. Just visit during business hours and ask to see the file. Staff can pull paper records on the spot.

The Orange County Historical Courthouse can be reached at (919) 644-4747. The main clerk line is (919) 644-4500. For district court judge offices, call (919) 644-4646. These contacts can help you track down Chapel Hill criminal court records if you have trouble with your search.