Chatham County Criminal Court Records

Chatham County criminal court records are filed at the courthouse in Pittsboro. The county is in District 15 for prosecutorial and District Court matters, and District 15B for Superior Court. You can search for criminal court records in Chatham County using the NC eCourts portal for free. The clerk's office at the courthouse also provides access to case files. Chatham County handles criminal cases from Pittsboro, Siler City, and surrounding areas. Staff can help you find records by name or case number during office hours.

Chatham County Criminal Court Clerk

The Chatham County Clerk of Superior Court is at 40 East Chatham Street in Pittsboro. This office maintains all criminal court records for the county. The clerk files cases, stores documents, and provides copies to the public. Call (919) 545-3500 for questions about criminal court records in Chatham County.

Chatham County has a split district structure. Prosecutorial and District Court matters fall under District 15. Superior Court cases are in District 15B. This split does not change how records are stored. All criminal court records for Chatham County are at the Pittsboro courthouse. The Chatham County courts page lists local rules, court calendars, contact details, and jury service information. Criminal and civil calendars are posted online for public viewing.

Chatham County serves a growing area between Raleigh and the Triad region. The courthouse in Pittsboro handles criminal cases from Siler City, Goldston, and all rural parts of the county. All arrests by the Chatham County Sheriff and local police result in cases filed at this courthouse. The clerk processes a steady volume of criminal cases each year and keeps all files available for public review.

Search Criminal Court Records in Chatham County

The NC eCourts Portal is the main tool for searching Chatham County criminal court records online. It costs nothing. You can search by party name, case number, citation number, or attorney. The portal shows charges, court dates, and case outcomes.

In person, go to the courthouse in Pittsboro. Public terminals are in the clerk's lobby for free searches. Staff can pull paper files and make copies for you. A certified criminal record search requires Form AOC-CR-314 and a $25 fee per name. You can submit this at the window or mail it in.

The Chatham County Sheriff at (919) 542-2911 can help with arrest records. Fingerprinting at the sheriff's office costs $10. The sheriff's office is at 295 West Street in Pittsboro. Bring a valid ID when you visit for fingerprinting or arrest record questions.

You can also use the NC Courts public records request form to ask for specific documents from a Chatham County criminal case file. The clerk must provide copies of existing public records upon request under G.S. 132-6.2. Staff are not required to create or compile records that do not already exist.

Note: Mail-in requests for certified criminal records from Chatham County should include a check or money order for $25 per name searched.

What Chatham County Criminal Records Include

A criminal court record in Chatham County holds all the documents from a case. The file begins with the charging document. This may be an arrest warrant, criminal summons, or grand jury indictment. As the case progresses, more documents are added. Bond orders, pretrial motions, plea forms, and the final judgment all go into the file.

Most criminal court records in Chatham County are public under N.C.G.S. Chapter 132. You can view them at the clerk's office or search basic details online. Sealed cases, juvenile records, and expunged files are not open to the public. The clerk can tell you what is accessible for any given case in Chatham County.

Chatham County criminal court records typically show:

• Defendant name and charges
• Date of arrest and filing
• Bond amount and conditions
• Court dates and continuances
• Plea or verdict
• Sentence and judgment

Chatham County Criminal Court Records Fees

A certified criminal record search in Chatham County costs $25 per name. Extra copies cost $15 each when ordered at the same time. Self-service terminal use is free. The eCourts portal is free for all users.

Copy fees for case documents vary by page count. Certified copies cost more than plain ones. All fees are set under G.S. 7A-308 and apply across every North Carolina county. You can pay at the clerk's window in Pittsboro. The eCourts portal accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover for online payment of fines and fees on Chatham County criminal cases.

Online Access to Chatham County Criminal Records

The NC eCourts system gives 24/7 access to Chatham County criminal court records. The portal works on any device. You can check case details, view documents, and track court dates. Registration is free but not required. It helps if you want to save cases to a personal folder.

The Remote Public Access Program provides licensed bulk access to criminal data from all counties, including Chatham County. Businesses and organizations can license this data under G.S. 7A-109(d) and (e). The program offers both online and extract access options. Monthly payments go through the PayIt system.

Note: Digital wallets like Apple Pay and Venmo are not accepted for payments on the eCourts portal.

Chatham County Criminal Court Records Resources

Beyond the courthouse, state tools can help with criminal record searches tied to Chatham County. The NC Department of Adult Correction offender search covers prison and probation records back to 1972. The NC State Bureau of Investigation handles fingerprint-based background checks for the most accurate results.

The NC Sex Offender Registry lets you search for registered offenders in Chatham County by name or address. The NC State Archives in Raleigh may hold historical criminal court records from Chatham County on microfilm. For more on how to get records, visit the obtaining court records page on the NC Courts website.

Nearby Counties

These counties border Chatham County. Criminal cases are filed in the county where the crime occurred. Make sure you search in the correct county.