Accomack County Court Docket Records

Accomack County court docket records are maintained by the Clerk of the Circuit Court and cover civil cases, criminal proceedings, and land records filed with the 2nd Judicial Circuit. Whether you need to find a hearing date, look up a filed case, or check the status of a civil matter in Accomac, you can search docket records online through the Virginia Judicial System or visit the Clerk's Office in person. The public record room has kept docket access open since 1663, making it one of the longest-running public records traditions in the Commonwealth.

Accomack Circuit Court Clerk

The Circuit Court Clerk for Accomack County is Hon. Talia C. Taylor, elected in November 2023. The Clerk's Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. You can reach the office by phone at (757) 787-5776 or by fax at (757) 787-1849. The mailing address is P.O. Box 126, 23316 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA 23301. The office is one of five constitutional offices elected by county citizens, and its roots trace back to 1619 under Virginia law.

The Clerk handles over 800 responsibilities set out in the Code of Virginia. These include serving as recorder of deeds, handling certain probate matters, issuing marriage licenses, and maintaining all circuit court records. The public records room gives anyone access to land records, judgments, wills, divorces, marriage licenses, and criminal and civil case files. You can learn more about the office at the Accomack County Clerk of Circuit Court page or view the court listing at vacourts.gov for the Accomack Circuit Court.

Note: The civil division of the Clerk's Office can be reached during regular business hours at (757) 787-5776 Monday through Friday.

How to Search Accomack Court Dockets

You have two main ways to search court docket records in Accomack County. The first is the Virginia Circuit Court Case Information System, which lets you search by name, case number, or hearing date after selecting Accomack County from the jurisdiction list. This is free to use and gives you access to civil and criminal case data filed in the Circuit Court. The system works best with a modern browser with cookies and JavaScript enabled.

The second method is visiting the Clerk's Office in person at 23316 Courthouse Avenue, Accomac, VA 23301. Public access terminals are available during regular hours so you can browse case files and docket entries without needing a specific case number. If you already know a case number or party name, staff can help you locate the physical file. For those who prefer not to travel to Accomac, Virginia court records information for Accomack outlines both the Circuit Court and General District Court search options in one place.

The screenshot below is from the Accomack Circuit Court page on the Virginia Judicial System website, which lists the Clerk's contact information and links to online case search tools.

The page shows the Clerk's hours, phone number, mailing address, and direct links to the case information system for Accomack County docket searches.

General District Court Dockets in Accomack

Accomack General District Court is part of the 2A Judicial District. The Clerk is Francina Violet Chisum, and the office is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. You can reach the General District Court at (757) 787-0923 or by fax at (757) 787-5619. The address is P.O. Box 276, 23371 Front Street, Accomac, VA 23301. This court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil disputes with amounts up to $25,000.

The court schedule includes misdemeanor cases on Mondays at 10:00 AM for police cases and shoplifting, 11:00 AM for citizen complaints, and 1:30 PM for preliminary hearings in felony matters. Traffic cases run throughout the week on a rotating schedule. You can search General District Court docket records through the Virginia General District Court Online Case Information System. Online payments for criminal fines can be made through the Virginia Judiciary Online Payment System (VJOPS). A 4% convenience fee applies to all credit and debit card payments. You can also find the General District Court listing at vacourts.gov for the Accomack General District Court.

What Accomack Court Docket Records Contain

Court docket records in Accomack County include a wide range of case documents and event logs. For criminal cases, the docket shows charges filed, arraignment dates, motions, trial scheduling, and case outcomes. Civil dockets record the filing of complaints, service of process, responsive pleadings, and all hearing dates scheduled by the court. Land records, wills, and probate filings also appear in the Circuit Court's public record system.

The Criminal Division of the Clerk's Office creates and maintains records for all criminal cases heard in the Accomack Circuit Court. You can find information on criminal records at the Accomack criminal court records page. The office accepts cash, personal check, certified check, VISA, or MasterCard credit and debit card for criminal fines. Payments by phone are processed through VJOPS.

Most circuit court docket records in Accomack County are open to the public under Virginia Code § 17.1-208, which requires clerks to make records available for inspection during office hours. Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court records are confidential and not available in any online search system.

Note: A name change filing in Accomack County carries a fee of $39.00 through the Circuit Court Clerk's Office.

Virginia Court Docket Access Laws

Public access to Virginia court dockets is governed by several statutes. The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (§ 2.2-3700) establishes a broad presumption that all public records are open for inspection unless a specific exemption applies. This means that anyone can request access to most court docket records without having to give a reason or show a personal interest in the case.

Virginia Code § 17.1-208 is the specific statute covering circuit court records. Under this law, any record maintained by the Clerk of Circuit Court shall be open to inspection by any person in the clerk's office. The clerk must provide copies when requested, subject to fees set under § 17.1-275. If you need to challenge a denial of records access, the Virginia courts public records page outlines the process for submitting formal requests to the judicial branch.

The framework for court dockets is also found in Title 8.01 of the Code of Virginia, which covers civil procedure and includes Chapter 10 on Dockets (§§ 8.01-331 through 8.01-335). These sections set out how courts maintain their dockets and make them accessible.

Copy Fees for Accomack Court Records

Under Virginia Code § 17.1-275, the standard fee for copies of court records is $0.50 per page for paper or electronic image copies. Certified copies cost an additional $2.00 per document, plus $0.50 if the judge's certificate is also attached. Recording fees for instruments such as deeds follow a tiered schedule: $18 for documents of 10 pages or fewer, $32 for 11 to 30 pages, and $52 for documents of 31 or more pages.

For civil case filings, the clerk's fee depends on the amount sought. Cases under $49,999 carry a $100 clerk's fee. Cases between $50,000 and $100,000 carry $200. Cases from $100,000 to $500,000 carry $250, and cases over $500,000 carry $300. These fees apply at the time of filing and do not cover any additional costs like service of process or recording charges.

Historic Records and Accomack County Archives

Accomack County has one of the longest court record histories in Virginia. The public records room has maintained open access since 1663, before Virginia was even a state. These historic records include land deeds, marriage licenses, church trustee records, and early court filings that span multiple centuries. The Clerk's Office uses modern technology to preserve and provide access to these documents while keeping them available for public inspection.

The Library of Virginia holds additional historic court records from Accomack County, including chancery case files and microfilm collections covering deeds, wills, and other instruments from prior centuries. The Library is located at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219, and can be reached at (804) 692-3888. Its Chancery Records Index includes cases from Accomack that are indexed and available for research through the Library's online portal. Property records are also maintained by the Commissioner of Revenue at 23296 Courthouse Avenue, Suite 106, Accomac, VA 23301.

Note: Title 17.1 of the Code of Virginia establishes the full statutory framework for courts of record, including requirements for maintaining and preserving clerk records across all Virginia circuit courts.

Nearby Counties

Accomack County sits on Virginia's Eastern Shore, bordered to the south by Northampton County.