Search Forsyth Court Records

ForsythCountyNcCourt.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports.
All searches conducted on ForsythCountyNcCourt.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.

Forsyth County, North Carolina State Court Records

The phrase "court records" in Forsyth County, North Carolina, is an umbrella term for all documentation generated during legal proceedings held within the region. Legal cases in Forsyth are heard in the county's District and Superior Courts, whose adjudicative responsibilities are established by law. The Clerk of the Superior Court's Office acts as the statutory custodian for all documentary materials created, collated, filed, or maintained within the local justice system (G.S. 7A-109).

Naturally, the contents of Forsyth County court records pertain strictly to local criminal, civil, or traffic cases. However, it is not uncommon to find filings of documentation obtained from other public agencies, or for court proceedings themselves to trigger the generation of other public records. An example is a property lien record. Liens can be filed with the Forsyth County Register of Deeds for various reasons, and one common one is to enforce a civil money judgment (G.S. 1-234).

Are Forsyth County Court Records Public?

Yes. G.S. 132-1 et seq. (North Carolina's Public Records Law) and G.S. 7A-109 create pathways for individuals seeking to examine or copy court records in Forsyth County. These laws open the majority of court case records to the public at large, disregarding any need for a requester to prove their identity or state their intended usage.

Public access, nevertheless, is occasionally limited, especially where a specific record, or portion of it, has been deemed confidential by law or judicial order/rule. Unavailable records include sealed, adoption, juvenile, and involuntary commitment records (G.S. 48-10-105, G.S. 7B-3000, G.S. 122C-54). Where a record has been removed from public access, only the parties involved and government agencies (for a related official or justice purpose) are furnished access.

What Information is Available in Forsyth County Court Records?

What a member of the public or the media may find in Forsyth County court records is a matter of the type of case and its complexity. More complex proceedings generate bulkier case files (sometimes proceeding to appellate jurisdiction), while simpler matters have fewer filings and are usually resolved within a few sittings of the presiding trial court.

Notwithstanding, these are the common components of court records:

  • Case Parties: All persons connected to the case, including the defendant, the plaintiff, and the attorneys of record.
  • Court Dockets: Each event, filing, or action taken/done over the course of the court proceedings.
  • Case Metadata: Case status, case title, presiding judge/magistrate, filing date, hearing schedules & assigned courtrooms, judgment entry date, etc.
  • Case Filings: Affidavits, indictments, petitions, complaints, writs, subpoenas, orders, summonses, notices, etc.
  • Financial Information: Fines, restitutions, and costs assessed by the court.

Forsyth County Court Records Search

Individuals seeking court records in Forsyth County have the following access channels:

Online Access

Online access is one of the most convenient methods available to the public for researching court records in North Carolina. With the availability of the North Carolina Judicial Branch eCourts Portal, case research is simplified across the 100 counties, including Forsyth County.

Anyone may search the eCourts Portal using a name, case number, or other filter entirely for free. Users can review public case information, electronic documents, and real-time court calendars.

In-Person Access

Free, self-service terminals are situated at the Forsyth County Courthouse for public case inspection. Residents or visitors can stop by the local courthouse during normal business hours to view case information on these terminals or request paper/electronic copies from the Clerk of the Superior Court's Office. Copies made by the staff typically attract a per-page or per-document fee, which varies based on the copy type needed (e.g., plain, certified, exemplified) and the volume of the request.

Mail and Phone Requests

Forsyth County courts utilize a designated routing address to receive public correspondence:

Forsyth County Courthouse

PO Box 20099

Winston-Salem, NC 27120

Individuals who prefer to mail their record requests can send letters to the above address, attaching a self-addressed stamped envelope for the return of the copies and the appropriate statutory copy fee. Mail requesters are advised to adequately specify the record they seek, including names, dates, and numbers that can assist staff in processing the request.

The Forsyth County Clerk of the Superior Court's Office can be reached at (336) 779-6300 for further assistance.

Fees for Court Records in Forsyth County

G.S. 7A-308 lists the statutory fees applicable to court records requests across all North Carolina counties. Under the state's Public Records Law, record inspection is generally free through the eCourts Portal and at public computers or kiosks in the courthouse. However, anyone requesting a duplicate or certified copy of a Forsyth County court record is liable for the following fees:

  • $2 for the first page of a plain (non-certified) copy, plus 25 cents for each additional page of the same document.
  • $3 for a certified document.
  • $10 for an exemplified document.

Forsyth County Courthouse Locations

Forsyth County has two courts that adjudicate all legal actions, disputes, or disagreements brought to the county's justice system, namely the Forsyth County District Court and the Forsyth County Superior Court. The legal jurisdiction of each court is outlined in the North Carolina Constitution (Article IV) and the North Carolina General Statutes (Chapter 7A).

Although managing their own separate cases, the Forsyth County courts conduct proceedings at one central location in Winston-Salem:

Forsyth County Courthouse

175 North Chestnut Street

Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Phone (Main): (336) 779-6300

Criminal Records Access in Forsyth County

Comprehensive criminal record checks (commonly called "background checks") in Forsyth County are not available locally. Instead, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) compiles the state's master criminal file. The NCSBI processes statewide background check requests, which, under G.S. 143B-1209.10 through 143B-1209.57, are available only to the subject of the record and legally authorized entities (e.g., state licensing bodies).

Requesting a background check through the NCSBI requires the submission of legible fingerprints, payment of the statutory $14 fee (for personal review requests), and proof of the requester's identity. The NCSBI's Background Checks page explains how eligible parties may retrieve statewide criminal records, as well as options available to those seeking a background check on others.

One of the more common methods for conducting a background check on another person is to request records kept by the court system. While court records focus only on charge and conviction data in a single county (differing significantly from the NCSBI master file that covers all reported raw arrests and criminal justice interactions), the records remain highly useful for verifying formal charges and final outcomes.

To this end, the Forsyth County Clerk of the Superior Court's Office offers a criminal background check report for $25. Requesters will need to fill out and hand-deliver/mail Form AOC-CR-314 to the Clerk's Office. The Forsyth County courts also provide open case research through the online North Carolina Judicial Branch eCourts Portal, in person at the courthouse, or by direct request to the Clerk's Office.

Forsyth County Probate Records

Probate ("estate administration") is the procedure of settling a deceased person's affairs, which involves transferring their assets to the rightful beneficiaries or heirs-according to their will or state intestate succession laws-and resolving outstanding debts.

In Forsyth County, probate proceedings are handled in the Superior Court, but rather than these cases being assigned to a Superior Court judge, the Clerk of the Superior Court assumes the role of the ex officio judge of probate for the county (G.S. 28A-2-1). Besides estates, the Clerk also has the legal authority to handle special proceedings, such as guardianship (G.S. 35A-1203), incompetency (G.S. 35A-1103), adoption (G.S. 48-2-100), and name change (G.S. 101-2).

The term "probate records" in Forsyth County covers both the Clerk's official records of estate administrations, as well as protective proceedings brought before the Clerk. Under G.S. 132-1 et seq. and G.S. 7A-109, these records are generally accessible to members of the public through the eCourts Portal, the Clerk's Office, or at courthouse terminals, except where access limitations have been imposed by law or court order. Safekeeping wills (G.S. 31-11) and adoption files are standard examples of confidential probate records.

Forsyth County Family Court Records

Family law is a branch of civil law dedicated to domestic or family relationships. Cases filed under family law in Forsyth County are handled in the District Court and include juvenile dependency & delinquency, domestic violence, child custody and visitation rights, divorce and its related financial issues (e.g., alimony and marital property), and termination of parental rights.

According to G.S. 132-1 et seq. and G.S. 7A-109, records originating from Forsyth County family law proceedings are public. Record access can be sought online, in person, or via mail, as described in the previous Forsyth County Court Records Search section above. However, requesters should be aware that privacy restrictions frequently apply to domestic cases, given that they address sensitive issues between or within families and contain highly sensitive data (e.g., minor identities and financial profiles).

Federal Court Records in Forsyth County

Federal cases stemming from Forsyth County fall under the purview of the Middle District of North Carolina, U.S. District Court. Specifically, the court's localized Winston-Salem division hears all federal cases in the region.

To inspect or copy public case records from this court, members of the public can search online using PACER (the federal case locator), or they can visit the local federal building to utilize free on-site computer terminals or request physical copies from the federal clerk's office.

U.S. District Court

Hiram H. Ward Federal Building

251 North Main Street

Winston-Salem, NC 27101

Phone (Clerk's Office): (336) 332-6000

Note: Online searches through PACER and manual copy requests are typically fee-based.

Forsyth County Court