Yancey County Criminal Court Records
Yancey County criminal court records are managed by the Clerk of Superior Court in Burnsville, North Carolina. The county is part of Judicial District 35 in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina. You can search criminal records online using the NC eCourts Portal or visit the courthouse in Burnsville. The clerk office stores all criminal case files and serves the public seven days a week. Yancey County has just under 19,000 residents and is named for Burnsville's naval hero Otway Burns. Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet, sits within the county borders.
Yancey County Quick Facts
Yancey Criminal Court Records Clerk
The Clerk of Superior Court in Yancey County is the official custodian of all criminal court records. You can call (828) 678-5700 to reach the office. The Yancey County Courthouse has an unusual schedule. It is open Monday through Sunday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. This seven-day schedule sets it apart from most NC courthouses.
Walk in during open hours to use the public access terminals. These let you search for criminal cases at no cost. If you want copies, a small fee applies per page. For a certified criminal record check, fill out Form AOC-CR-314 and pay $25. The clerk can run the search while you wait, or you can mail the request.
The Yancey County NC Courts page provides links to criminal calendars, local court rules, and contact numbers. Yancey County offers several court programs, including clerk mediation, a district criminal court mediation program, and court-ordered arbitration at (828) 737-6700. The Family Financial Settlement Program and Juvenile Court Improvement Program are also available. The Child Custody and Visitation Mediation Program handles family matters that may arise from criminal proceedings.
| Court |
Yancey County Clerk of Superior Court Yancey County Courthouse Burnsville, NC Phone: (828) 678-5700 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Monday through Sunday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM |
| Website | nccourts.gov/locations/yancey-county |
How to Search Criminal Cases in Yancey County
Use the NC eCourts Portal for a free online search. Go to the eCourts Portal and enter a name or case number. The system covers all criminal cases in Yancey County and across the state. You can view charges, dates, and outcomes. No account is needed for basic searches. Registration lets you save cases to a personal folder for later review. The portal accepts Visa, MasterCard, and Discover for fine payments on criminal cases filed in Yancey County. Digital wallets like Apple Pay or Venmo are not accepted.
At the courthouse in Burnsville, the public terminals are available every day of the week. Staff can help you find the right case. If you need a certified result, bring Form AOC-CR-314 and $25 to the clerk window. Download the form from the NC Courts forms page. Mail-in requests are accepted too.
Under G.S. 7A-308(a)(17), the $25 certified search fee is set by state law. Each additional copy costs $15 when ordered at the same time. Most criminal court records in Yancey County are public under the NC Public Records Act, G.S. Chapter 132. The Remote Public Access Program gives licensed users real-time criminal and civil court data from all 100 counties, including Yancey County. This program runs under G.S. 7A-109(d) and G.S. 7A-343.2. Fees go to the Court Information Technology Fund.
Note: Sealed records and juvenile cases will not appear in any public search in Yancey County.
Yancey Criminal Court Records Resources
The NC Courts website provides a full page for Yancey County. It lists contact numbers for every court office, criminal calendars, and local rules. Visit the Yancey County courts page to access all available tools.
From this page you can link to the eCourts Portal, check payment options, and find jury service details for Yancey County.
Criminal Courts in Yancey County
Superior Court in Yancey County hears all felony cases. Drug crimes, burglary, and violent offenses are tried here. A 12-person jury decides guilt at trial. Superior Court judges for District 35 are at (828) 737-6747. Chief District Court Judge Rebecca Eggers-Gryder was appointed to lead District 35 in January 2025. The district covers Avery, Madison, Mitchell, Watauga, and Yancey counties.
District Court handles misdemeanors, infractions, and traffic cases. A judge decides each case without a jury. DWI, simple assault, and theft are common charges. Magistrates at (828) 678-5730 issue warrants and set bail. The District Attorney at (828) 678-5720 handles all prosecutions in Yancey County. The Guardian ad Litem office at (828) 682-4754 assists in criminal cases that involve children. Court-ordered arbitration is available at (828) 737-6700 for certain disputes in Yancey County.
Yancey Criminal Court Records Checks
A certified criminal record check at the Yancey County clerk office costs $25. For a statewide search, the NC State Bureau of Investigation offers fingerprint-based background checks. These catch more records than name-based searches.
The NC Department of Adult Correction has a free offender search tool. It covers state prison inmates and people on probation or parole going back to 1972. Local jail records from Yancey County are not included. For the most complete picture, combine the clerk office search with state databases. The NC Sex Offender Registry is another free tool from the SBI. Under G.S. 14-208.5, certain convicted individuals must register with law enforcement in Yancey County. Victims can sign up for alerts through VineLink when an offender's status changes.
Historical criminal court records from Yancey County may be at the State Archives of North Carolina in Raleigh. Most records from the 1800s were moved there. The State Archives preserves old case files from the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, which heard both criminal and civil cases before 1868. Contact the archives at (919) 814-6840 for older Yancey County court records.
The Yancey County government website has information on local services. The county sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains and includes Mount Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet. More than 600 artists call the county home, and events like the Toe River Studio Tour bring visitors to Burnsville each year.
- Certified search at clerk office for $25
- SBI fingerprint checks for statewide data
- Adult Correction offender search online
- Free public terminals at the courthouse
Nearby Counties
Yancey County is in the mountains of western North Carolina. Criminal cases are filed where the offense took place. Check the right county before you search.