Court records in Durham County, North Carolina, are maintained by the Clerk of Superior Court and can be accessed through online tools, official court portals, and the clerk's office. DurhamCourt.us can help you find publicly available court record information for Durham County. Additional access points include the North Carolina Judicial Branch portal for Durham County, the Durham County Clerk of Superior Court records access page, and the eCourts system used statewide.
Durham Court System Overview
Durham County is part of Judicial District 14 in North Carolina's unified court system, which serves Durham County exclusively. The district includes both Superior Court and District Court divisions, with magistrates serving under the District Court. Superior Court handles felony trials and higher-value civil cases, while District Court covers misdemeanors, infractions, family law, juvenile matters, and civil cases up to $25,000. The Clerk of Superior Court manages all administrative, clerical, and record-keeping functions for both court levels.
Courts Serving Durham
| Court | Address | Phone |
|---|---|---|
| Durham County Superior Court | 510 S. Dillard Street, Durham, NC 27701 | 919-560-0900 |
| Durham County District Court | 510 S. Dillard Street, Durham, NC 27701 | 919-560-0900 |
| Durham County Magistrate's Office | 510 S. Dillard Street, Durham, NC 27701 | 919-560-0900 |
| U.S. Middle District of North Carolina (Federal) | 324 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 | 336-332-6000 |
| U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Middle District of NC | 101 S. Edgeworth Street, Greensboro, NC 27401 | 336-358-4000 |
Durham County does not operate a separate municipal court. All criminal, traffic, and civil matters are heard through the state District and Superior Court system.
What Types of Cases Durham Courts Hear
Courts in Durham County handle a broad range of case types across the District Court and Superior Court divisions:
- Criminal: Felonies, misdemeanors, infractions
- Civil: General civil litigation, small claims (up to $10,000), summary ejectment
- Family Law: Divorce, custody, child support, domestic violence protective orders, paternity, termination of parental rights
- Probate and Estates: Decedent estates, guardianships, trusts
- Juvenile: Delinquency, undisciplined youth, abuse/neglect/dependency
- Traffic: Moving violations, DWI
District Court Cases in Durham
Durham County District Court hears misdemeanor criminal cases, infractions, and civil disputes where the amount in controversy is $25,000 or less. District Court judges also preside over all family law matters — including divorce, custody, and domestic violence cases — as well as juvenile proceedings. When a felony case begins, the District Court conducts probable cause hearings before the case is transferred to Superior Court for trial. Appeals from magistrate decisions in small claims and summary ejectment cases are heard de novo in District Court. Cases are assigned to judges by the chief district court judge based on the court calendar.
Magistrate Court Cases in Durham
Magistrates in Durham County handle initial appearances, set bail conditions, and issue arrest warrants and search warrants. They also hear small claims cases involving amounts up to $10,000 under North Carolina law, as well as summary ejectment (eviction) actions. Magistrates accept guilty pleas for certain minor misdemeanors and worthless check cases. They do not conduct jury trials. For civil disputes exceeding the small claims limit, cases must be filed in District Court. In a high-volume county like Durham, magistrates are available around the clock for criminal processing matters such as setting conditions of release.
Family Law, Probate, and Juvenile Matters in Durham
Family Law
Divorce, child custody, child support, equitable distribution, domestic violence protective orders, paternity, and termination of parental rights are all heard in Durham County District Court. Absolute divorce in North Carolina requires at least one year of separation. Divorce certificates may also be obtained from the Clerk of Court in the county where the divorce was filed.
Probate
The Clerk of Superior Court serves as the judge of probate in Durham County. The clerk's office handles estate administration, appointment of executors and administrators, guardianship proceedings, and trust matters. You can contact the Clerk of Superior Court's office for probate filings and questions.
Juvenile
Juvenile delinquency, undisciplined youth, and abuse/neglect/dependency cases are heard in District Court. Juvenile court records are confidential under North Carolina law and are not available through public search portals. Contact the clerk's office for information about accessing juvenile case records if you are a party or authorized individual.
How Cases Move Through the Durham Court System
- Filing or initiation: A criminal case begins with an arrest, citation, or magistrate's order. Civil cases start with a complaint filed with the clerk. Family and probate matters begin with a petition.
- Assignment: Cases are assigned to a judge and placed on the court calendar. View Durham County court calendars online.
- Initial hearing: Criminal defendants have a first appearance or arraignment. Civil cases may have a scheduling conference or case management hearing.
- Pre-trial phase: Parties exchange discovery, file motions, and may negotiate settlements or plea agreements.
- Trial or resolution: Cases proceed to bench trial, jury trial, guilty plea, settlement, or default judgment.
- Post-judgment: Criminal cases move to sentencing and possible appeal. Civil judgments may be enforced or appealed. Appeals from District Court go to Superior Court; appeals from Superior Court go to the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
Court Administration, Local Rules, and Public Access in Durham
The Chief District Court Judge and Senior Resident Superior Court Judge oversee court operations in Judicial District 14. The Trial Court Administrator's office handles day-to-day administrative functions. Contact the courthouse at 919-560-0900 for the trial court administrator.
Local rules for Judicial District 14 govern scheduling, motion practice, and other procedural matters. Check the Durham County page on the NC Judicial Branch website for links to local rules and court calendars.
Public Access
- Most court records in North Carolina are public under the state's Public Records Act (N.C.G.S. Chapter 132) and court administrative rules.
- Exceptions include juvenile records, sealed records, adoption files, and certain mental health proceedings.
- You can search case information online through the eCourts portal, which uses the Odyssey case management system statewide.
- In-person access is available at the public self-service terminals in the clerk's office at the Durham County Courthouse.
- Hearings are generally open to the public. Some proceedings may be conducted remotely — contact the clerk's office for current remote hearing procedures.
Court Records and Related Court Resources in Durham
- Court record search: Search case information by name, case number, or attorney through the NC eCourts portal, available for all North Carolina counties.
- Court calendars: View civil and criminal court calendars for Durham County online.
- Court forms and self-help: The NC Judicial Branch court records page provides forms, background check information, and expungement guidance.
- Clerk of Superior Court: The Durham County Clerk of Superior Court processes records requests, certified copies, and background checks. A certified criminal background check can be requested through the clerk's office.
- Public records requests: For Durham County government records (non-court), submit a request through the county's online public records request form. For City of Durham records including police reports, use the city's public records request page.
- Inmate search: The Durham County Sheriff's Office maintains an inmate population search tool for current detainees.
- State offender search: The NC Department of Adult Correction offers an offender search for state prison inmates, probationers, and parolees.
- Vital records: Birth, marriage, and death certificates are available through the Durham County Register of Deeds. Statewide vital records information is available through NC Vital Records.
- Property records: Search real estate records through the Register of Deeds online search or the Durham County property search tool.