Amherst County Court Records Search
Amherst County criminal court records are maintained by the Circuit Court Clerk at the courthouse on Taylor Street in Amherst, Virginia. The county's General District Court handles misdemeanor and traffic cases, while the Circuit Court takes on felonies and appeals. You can search case records online through state-run portals or visit the courthouse in person to get certified copies of criminal filings and dispositions. This guide walks through how to find and access criminal court records in Amherst County.
Amherst County Overview
Amherst Circuit Court Criminal Records
The Amherst County Circuit Court Clerk's office is located at 113 Taylor Street in Amherst, Virginia 24521. The office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The clerk handles all criminal case records at the felony level, including indictments, grand jury materials, sentencing orders, and final dispositions. Beyond criminal work, the clerk also issues marriage licenses and notary commissions, but the criminal case files are the main resource for public record searches.
The Circuit Court has jurisdiction over felony criminal prosecutions and hears appeals from the General District Court. It also handles civil cases over $25,000. The Amherst County Circuit Court Clerk's page on the county website has office contact details and information on what records the clerk maintains. For online case lookups, the state's CJISWeb portal is the tool to use. You can select Amherst County from the list and search by party name or case number. Criminal cases appear with a "CR" prefix in the case number.
Copy fees at the clerk's office are $0.50 per page for standard copies. Certified copies cost an extra $2.00, and triple-seal certification adds another $2.50. These fees apply to criminal case documents, civil records, and land records alike. You can request copies in person at the Taylor Street office or by mailing a written request to the clerk.
| Office | Amherst County Circuit Court Clerk |
|---|---|
| Address | 113 Taylor Street, Amherst, VA 24521 |
| Hours | Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM |
| Clerk Website | amherstcountyva.gov/circuit-clerk |
| Online Search | CJISWeb Circuit Court Search |
| Copy Fees | $0.50/page; certified +$2.00; triple-seal +$2.50 |
Amherst General District Court
The General District Court in Amherst County handles misdemeanor criminal charges, traffic violations, and preliminary hearings for felony cases. Civil claims up to $25,000 are also part of the GDC's jurisdiction. Virginia does not allow jury trials at the General District Court level. A defendant who wants to contest a verdict with a jury must appeal to the Circuit Court, where the case starts over in what Virginia law calls a de novo appeal.
You can look up Amherst County General District Court records through the GDC court selector tool, which lets you choose Amherst County from a list and then search by name or case number. This system covers misdemeanor charges, traffic citations, and preliminary hearing records. It is free to use and does not require a login. For more recent cases, the data updates frequently and reflects current case status in real time.
Preliminary felony hearings are held in the GDC before a case is formally certified to the Circuit Court. These hearings are part of the public record and can be accessed through the GDC portal. The Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court handles cases involving minors and domestic matters separately from the main criminal docket.
| Jurisdiction | Misdemeanors, traffic, civil to $25K, preliminary hearings |
|---|---|
| Appeals | De novo to Circuit Court |
| Online Search | GDC Court Selector Search |
Searching Amherst Records Online
Virginia maintains several free tools for the public to search court records. For Amherst County criminal cases, the main resources are the CJISWeb portal for Circuit Court records and the GDC system for General District Court cases. Both are linked above. Beyond those, the Case Status and Information portal at the Virginia Judicial System site is a good place to check whether a case is active, closed, or scheduled for a future hearing. It covers both levels of court and does not require an account.
The screenshot below shows the Virginia General District Court case search interface. You can use this tool to look up misdemeanor and traffic cases filed in Amherst County.
The GDC search system is provided by the Virginia Judicial System at no cost and covers all General District Courts in the state, including the Amherst County court.
For broader searches across multiple counties at once, the OCIS 2.0 statewide tool provides a single interface. This is helpful when a person may have cases in Amherst and a neighboring county like Campbell or Bedford and you want to search both in one step.
Access to Amherst County Criminal Records
Criminal court files in Amherst County are public by default. Anyone can walk into the clerk's office, ask to see a case file, and request copies. You do not need to state a reason or show identification to look up a public case. Sealed records are different. Those require a court order, and the clerk cannot give you access without one. If you are requesting documents by mail, include the case name, case number if known, and a check or money order for the copying fees.
The Virginia Freedom of Information Act at Virginia Code Title 2.2, Chapter 37 covers records requests made to county government offices, not to the court clerk directly. If you need records from the Amherst County Sheriff's Office or another county agency, submit a FOIA request. The agency has five working days to respond. Criminal investigative records may take up to 60 additional days in some cases. The Virginia FOIA Advisory Council provides free guidance on how to submit proper requests.
Criminal history background check requests that cover statewide arrest and conviction data go through the Virginia State Police at vsp.virginia.gov. This is separate from what the clerk's office maintains and covers records beyond just Amherst County.
Note: If you need information on criminal history records under Virginia Code § 19.2-389, that statute governs what law enforcement agencies can release, not court clerk records.
Sealing Criminal Records in Amherst County
Virginia allows qualifying criminal records to be sealed through a formal court process. Under Virginia Code Title 19.2, Chapter 23.1, people whose cases were dismissed or who were acquitted may petition the Amherst County Circuit Court to seal those records under § 19.2-392.2. Sealing removes the record from public view, though law enforcement agencies may still have access. Certain serious offenses are excluded from sealing eligibility under § 19.2-392.12 regardless of how the case ended.
Starting in July 2026, Virginia's expanded sealing law will allow people with qualifying conviction records to petition for sealing as well. This covers a broader set of offenses than the current dismissed-case rule. The process is not automatic. You must file a petition, satisfy a waiting period, and meet other statutory requirements. The Virginia Courts Self-Help Center has the forms and guides needed to start this process in Amherst County or any other Virginia court.
Cities Near Amherst County
The City of Lynchburg is an independent city adjacent to Amherst County. Criminal cases from Lynchburg go through the Lynchburg court system, not the Amherst County courts, though both are in the same general region.
Nearby Counties
Amherst County borders several other counties in central and western Virginia. Use the online portals to check which county filed a specific criminal case if you are not sure.