New Hanover County, North Carolina Court Records
New Hanover County court records are the legal documents generated when a lawsuit is filed or heard in the county’s state trial courts. These files record the actions and events that occurred in a court proceeding. They include filings, motions, orders, judgments, hearing dates, and (in criminal matters) charging documents and case outcomes. Court records help maintain an accurate history of court proceedings, support due process, and serve as an official reference for the parties, the court, and the public, where access is allowed.
In North Carolina, the trial-level courts are the District Court and Superior Court (the state’s "General Court of Justice" trial division). In New Hanover County, the Clerk of Superior Court is the primary recordkeeper (custodian) of most trial-court records, maintaining filings and dockets and providing record services through the clerk’s office.
In North Carolina, court records are created and maintained as part of the courts’ official duties. Generally, the Public Records Law (Chapter 132) governs court records in North Carolina. Nonetheless, the state’s court rules and statutes restrict access to certain case types or documents, such as confidential matters or sealed files. The North Carolina Judicial Branch notes that special permission may be needed in confidential cases.
New Hanover court records are often linked to other records, maintained by different government agencies; they do not exist in isolation. The state vital records office, local public health departments, or the County Register of Deeds (depending on the record type and time period) preserve vital records. Law enforcement (e.g., the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office (Detention Division) maintains arrest records. The U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC) maintains federal case files, accessible through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER).
Are New Hanover County Court Records Public?
Under the North Carolina Public Records Act (NCGS Chapter 132), Hanover County court records are public except otherwise stated by state law or court order. Depending on the type of case, information seekers may request these records from the New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Courts or through the North Carolina eCourts Portal.
Information that the public can access in non-confidential matters includes basic civil and criminal case information (case numbers, party names, filings, orders, hearing dates, and judgments), subject to redaction rules and any sealing order. In contrast, restricted or confidential records that are inaccessible to the public include juvenile abuse, neglect, or dependency records; confidential proceedings (e.g., juvenile cases and involuntary hospitalization cases); adoption records; and any case or file sealed by court order.
What Information is Available in New Hanover County Court Records?
The components of a typical New Hanover County court record are listed as follows:
- Case identifiers: case number, court division (District or Superior Court), county, filing date, and case type (civil, criminal, estate, and special proceeding).
- Parties and attorneys: names of parties (or State v. Defendant), attorneys of record, and sometimes service or notice details.
- Docket or Case Summary (Register of Actions): a timeline of filings and events, comprising complaints or petitions, motions, hearings, continuances, orders, and disposition entries.
- Filed documents (when public): pleadings (complaints, answers), motions and supporting materials, subpoenas (where filed), and exhibits (availability varies).
- Orders and judgments: signed orders, final decisions, and enforcement-related entries (e.g., money judgments and related docketing).
- Criminal case contents (typical): charging documents or citations, court dates, case events, and dispositions (outcomes), along with related financial information when applicable.
- Financial and fees information (when applicable): costs, fines, restitution, payment activity.
New Hanover County Court Records Search
Online access
Requesters may access non-confidential case information online via the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s eCourts Portal. This search portal allows users to find public records for criminal, civil, special proceeding, and estate cases. However, information available may differ by case type and whether a file is confidential, sealed, or otherwise restricted.
Organizations that require extensive court data may apply for special permission from the Judicial Branch-operated Remote Public Access (RPA) Program. This is a paid or licensed program that allows companies, researchers, or agencies to access large amounts of court information across the state.
In-person access
Requesters may visit the Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court Office to use a public, self-service terminal on the premises. The terminal allows searches by defendant name, case number, victim, or witness name. After locating the necessary details, applicants may request the relevant record in person.
Mail and phone requests
Individuals wishing to request copies of court documents must contact the New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court. For mail-in requests, they may send payment for the requested record in money order, certified check, or cashier’s check (no cash, no personal checks), payable to New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court. The request packet must be mailed to the Clerk’s office at the county courthouse (PO Box address provided).
Fees for Court Records in New Hanover County
In North Carolina, the law mandates court clerks to charge miscellaneous" fees for copies. Based on the Miscellaneous Court Costs (effective Jan. 1, 2025) chart list, the cost of making different types of copies in New Hanover County is as follows:
- Preparation of copies: $2.00 for the first page (of each document) and $0.25 for each additional page (or fraction thereof)
- Certificate, under seal: $3.00
- Exemplification of records: $10.00
- Criminal record search: $25.00 (fee applies except request is by a state, local, or federal agency, or a petitioner in a proceeding under Article 2 of Chapter 20 of the General Statutes).
Online subscription access
North Carolina offers free online access to eligible court records through its public Portal. The platform allows searches for case information, and court records are generally available online without a subscription (though access varies by case type and confidentiality). North Carolina courts also provide a paid Remote Public Access (RPA) option for organizations that require extensive statewide court data access. RPA has a one-time connection fee of $495.00, a $70.00 fee per additional user ID, and a $0.39 access fee per transaction (charged monthly based on usage).
In New Hanover County, the Register of Deeds typically handles certified copies of vital records, not the court clerk. For certified copies of birth, death, and marriage certificates, the county charges $10.00 per certificate and $0.25 per uncertified copy. For statewide birth certificate searches requested from North Carolina Vital Records for births from 1971 to the present, the first certified copy costs $24.00, while each additional copy ordered simultaneously costs $15.00.
New Hanover County Courthouse Locations
Listed below are the primary official locations for state trial court matters in New Hanover County, as well as the main juvenile detention facility:
New Hanover County Courthouse (State Trial Courts)
316 Princess St, Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 772-6600
Cases handled: District Court and Superior Court matters, civil cases, criminal cases, family and domestic matters (including divorce and custody calendars), probate and estate matters (special proceedings handled through the Clerk of Superior Court)
Administrative Traffic Court (Traffic and Infractions)
Courtroom 317 (3rd Floor), New Hanover County Courthouse
316 Princess St, Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 772-6600
Cases handled: Traffic infractions and minor traffic offense pleas.
Note: The Administrative Traffic Court does not conduct trials; it resolves infractions or provides a trial date when charges are contested
New Hanover Regional Juvenile Detention Center
3830 Juvenile Center Road, Castle Hayne, NC 28429
(910) 675-0594
Function: Secure juvenile detention and holding facility; does not serve as a courthouse
Criminal Records Access in New Hanover County
In North Carolina, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI), a division of the North Carolina Department of Justice, handles the official statewide criminal history record (also known as "criminal record check" or "rap sheet"). This is a state-level fingerprint-based process (known as the "Right to Review") that allows requesters to obtain their North Carolina criminal history records (including arrests and associated dispositions, if available). In contrast, local case-level records (charges filed in court, court dates, docket entries, orders, and public judgments) are obtainable through the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s online systems and clerk offices (in-person searches).
Online: North Carolina’s eCourts Portal allows the public to search case information and court records that are not confidential, sealed, or restricted.
In person: Requesters may use public self-service terminals located at a clerk of court’s office in any county to search for criminal case information. Afterwards, they may access paper files at the clerk’s office where the case is filed.
Note: Individuals conducting background checks are expected to use the county clerk’s office and not the eCourts Portal.
New Hanover County Probate Records
New Hanover County probate records are official court documents created when an individual passes away, owns property, leaves a will, or when the court must appoint a fiduciary to manage someone’s affairs. In North Carolina, the Clerk of Superior Court handles estate and special proceedings records (unless a law restricts access).
Estate records typically comprise wills and probate filings (applications to probate a will), estate administrations (when there is no will or no executor can serve), and filings related to trust disputes or instructions. North Carolina also adopts court proceedings for guardianships of incompetent adults and related property management; some people refer to these as "conservatorships," but the process is typically handled through guardianship and special proceeding filings under the clerk’s authority.
Interested parties may locate certain recent estate and special proceeding case information online through the North Carolina courts’ eCourts Portal (public). At the same time, older files or detailed paper documents may require an in-person visit to the clerk’s office. Certain matters may not be viewable online or available to the general public because of their confidential, sealed, or legally restricted status.
New Hanover County Family Court Records
In North Carolina, family courts do not exist in every county. Most Hanover County family-law cases are heard in the state trial courts (District Court and Superior Court), and the Clerk of Superior Court maintains the official case files. In practice, Hanover County family court records encompass most filings and orders in divorce, custody, child support, and other domestic matters. However, access to these records may differ by case type and whether a file is confidential, sealed, or otherwise restricted.
Online portal availability
Most family law categories have strict access restrictions due to the sensitivity of family court matters. Consequently, these records are typically inaccessible to the public via the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s eCourts Portal. For instance, adoption records are specifically classified as confidential and sealed by law, with limited exceptions.
Courthouse access (in person)
Inspecting records (when allowed) or requesting copies may be possible for certain documents that are not available online or have restricted access. In such an instance, requesters may contact or visit the clerk’s office in the county where the case was filed.
Certified copies
Requesters may apply to the clerk of court in the county where the order or judgment was entered for certified copies; fees typically apply. For mail-in requests in Hanover County, the application should include the required fees in the form of a money order or certified check (no cash, no personal checks), payable to the New Hanover County Clerk of Superior Court.
Federal Court Records in New Hanover County
New Hanover County is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina (EDNC). This federal trial court handles most federal civil and criminal court proceedings that originate from the county. These cases include Federal-question cases (claims under the U.S. Constitution, federal statutes, federal regulations), diversity jurisdiction civil cases, and federal criminal prosecutions brought by the United States.
Interested persons may access federal court records through the Public Access to Court Electronic Records (PACER). The portal charges $0.10 per page, with a $3.00 cap per document. The portal provides public access to federal court dockets and filings. To access records on the platform, users must register for a PACER account.
Since each federal court maintains its own case information, users unsure of specific case details may use the PACER Case Locator to find it.
For assistance locating a specific case, obtaining copies, or viewing actual documents, inquirers may contact or visit the EDNC Clerk’s Office. They may also locate clerk office locations and phone numbers, including the Wilmington office phone line (910-815-4663, through the EDNC’s website. A common workflow would be to use the PACER to locate the case number and docket. Subsequently, one may contact the EDNC Clerk’s Office for a copy or certification procedures (where necessary).
