Bedford County Court Docket Records

Bedford County court docket records are maintained by the Clerk of the 24th Judicial Circuit Court at 123 East Main Street in Bedford, Virginia. The Clerk's Office keeps civil filings, felony criminal cases, land records, probate matters, and divorce proceedings filed with the Circuit Court. You can search Bedford docket records free through the Virginia Judicial System's online portal or visit the courthouse in person to use the public access terminals during the 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM business hours. The county seat of Bedford is a small city in the Blue Ridge foothills with a courthouse that serves all residents of this central Virginia county.

Bedford Circuit Court Clerk's Office

The Clerk of the Circuit Court for Bedford County is Hon. Judy E. Reynolds. The office is located at 123 East Main St., Suite 201, Bedford, VA 24523. Judges' chambers are at the same address in Suite 301. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. The main phone number is (540) 586-7632 and the fax is (540) 586-6197. You can find the current contact information and links to court resources on the Bedford Circuit Court page at vacourts.gov.

The Clerk's Office maintains all official records of the Bedford Circuit Court, including civil case files, felony criminal filings, land instruments, wills and estate records, marriage licenses, and all orders and judgments of the court. Public access terminals in the Clerk's Office are available during regular hours so anyone can search the docket and view case information without needing to show a reason. The office accepts cash, check, and credit card for fees and copy charges. Staff can assist with questions about how to locate a specific case or what documents are available for a given filing.

Note: For questions about case status or fees, call the Bedford Clerk's Office at (540) 586-7632 during the 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM business hours, Monday through Friday.

How to Search Bedford County Court Dockets

To search Bedford County docket records online, go to the Virginia Circuit Court Case Information System and select "Bedford County Circuit" from the jurisdiction dropdown. You can search by party name, case number, or hearing date. The system pulls from live court data and results reflect the current docket. Civil and criminal cases filed in the Circuit Court both appear in this portal. The Clerk's Office uses the same system to answer inquiries, so data online matches what staff see in-house.

In-person searches are available at the Clerk's Office during business hours. Public access terminals let you browse case files and docket entries. Staff can help you navigate the grantor-grantee index for land records or find a specific probate filing. For large research projects or requests for multiple documents, it may be more efficient to visit in person rather than submitting copy requests by mail.

For Bedford County General District Court dockets, use the Virginia General District Court Online Case Information System. District court records are separate from circuit court dockets and cover misdemeanor cases, traffic violations, and civil claims up to $25,000.

Bedford General District Court Dockets

The General District Court serving Bedford County is part of the 24th Judicial District of Virginia. It handles traffic violations, misdemeanor criminal cases, preliminary hearings for felony matters, and civil claims up to $25,000. Small claims of $4,500 or less are heard here under a simplified procedure. This court does not use juries; judges decide all matters. A party who disagrees with the outcome can appeal to the Bedford Circuit Court, where a new trial may be held.

General District Court docket records in Bedford County are publicly accessible through the General District Court case portal at no charge. You can search by party name or case number to find district court docket entries. Both the Circuit Court and General District Court records are public records under Virginia law, and either can be viewed in person at the respective clerk's office during business hours.

What Bedford County Docket Records Show

Court docket records in Bedford County document every step in a case from the date of filing through final disposition. For criminal cases, the docket includes the charging document or indictment, arraignment date, bond hearing result, pretrial motions, trial scheduling, jury selection if applicable, verdict, and sentencing order. Civil dockets record the complaint, service of process on the defendant, responsive pleadings, discovery deadlines set by the court, motions and rulings, and the final judgment or order. Every document the parties file and every action the court takes appears in the docket.

Land records in the Bedford Circuit Court Clerk's system include deeds, deeds of trust, mortgages, liens, easements, and subdivision plats. These are indexed separately from case files and searched using the grantor-grantee index. Probate records, wills, and estate filings are also part of the Clerk's archive. Divorce decrees and custody orders entered by the Circuit Court appear in the civil docket once the judge signs the final order. Most of these records are open to the public under Virginia Code § 17.1-208, which requires clerks to allow inspection by any person during office hours.

Bedford County docket records span the full range of civil litigation heard in the 24th Circuit, including contract disputes, personal injury cases, real estate litigation, and guardianship proceedings, in addition to felony criminal matters.

FOIA and Public Records Access in Bedford

The Virginia Freedom of Information Act, § 2.2-3700, gives every person in Virginia the right to inspect public records. You do not need a reason to view court docket records in Bedford County. The default rule is that all records are open unless a specific statutory exemption applies. For routine circuit court records, the online portal and the public terminals in the Clerk's Office provide easy access without any formal request process.

If you need a record that is not immediately available through the standard channels, you can submit a written request. The Virginia courts public records page explains how to submit a formal request to the judicial branch. The Clerk must respond within five business days. Records sealed by court order or confidential by statute, such as juvenile case files, cannot be provided under a FOIA request.

Copy Fees for Bedford County Court Records

Copy fees for Bedford County court records follow the schedule set by Virginia Code § 17.1-275. Standard paper or electronic image copies cost $0.50 per page. Certified copies carry an additional $2.00 per document. If the judge's certificate must be attached, add another $0.50 to the certified copy fee. These fees cover all types of documents maintained by the Bedford Circuit Court Clerk, from case files to land instruments.

Recording fees for land instruments depend on page count. Documents of 10 pages or fewer cost $18 to record. Instruments running 11 to 30 pages cost $32. Documents with 31 or more pages carry a $52 recording fee. Civil filing fees depend on the amount in controversy. Cases under $50,000 carry a $100 clerk's fee, while cases between $50,000 and $100,000 carry $200. The office accepts cash, check, and credit card. Requests for copies by mail should be accompanied by a check made out to the Bedford Circuit Court Clerk.

Historic Records in Bedford County

Bedford County was established in 1753 and has a court record archive that spans over 270 years. The Clerk's Office holds land deeds, will books, court order books, and civil case files from the county's early history. These records document the settlement and development of the Blue Ridge foothills region, including land grants, early property transfers, and court proceedings from the colonial and early American periods. Many older records have been indexed and are available for research in the public records room.

For records that have been transferred or that predate the county's formation, the Library of Virginia in Richmond holds microfilm and digitized collections from Bedford County. The Library's Chancery Records Index includes equity cases filed in Bedford and is searchable through the Library's online portal. Researchers can also visit the Library in person at 800 East Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23219. Staff can assist with tracing records through boundary changes and court reorganizations in the 18th and 19th centuries.

The full statutory framework governing court record preservation is found in Title 17.1 of the Code of Virginia, which sets requirements for all courts of record in Virginia, including Bedford Circuit Court.

Nearby Counties

Bedford County borders several counties in south-central Virginia, all with their own circuit court clerk offices and docket search tools.