Northampton County Background Check

Northampton County background check records are kept by the Sheriff's Office and the Circuit Court Clerk in Eastville on the Eastern Shore. The county holds some of the oldest continuous court records in the United States, dating to 1632. Whether you need recent criminal history or want to search historical court records, the offices in Eastville have the files. This page covers how to request Northampton County background check records, what the offices hold, and how Virginia law shapes public access.

Northampton County Sheriff Criminal Records

The Northampton County Sheriff's Office, led by Sheriff David L. Doughty Jr., provides 24/7 law enforcement for the county and operates the Eastern Shore Regional Jail. The office handles preventive patrol, criminal investigations, traffic management, and civil process service. For background check purposes, the Sheriff's Office is the right place to request local arrest records, incident reports, and crash reports.

FOIA requests for Northampton County law enforcement records go through the Sheriff's Office. The county FOIA officer is Deputy County Administrator Janice Williams, and the Circuit Court's FOIA contact is Clerk Traci L. Johnson. You can reach the Circuit Court FOIA page at the Northampton Circuit Court FOIA portal. For county-level FOIA requests, visit co.northampton.va.us/FOIA.

For a full statewide criminal history, the Virginia State Police CCRE provides the most complete search. The Sheriff's records cover only what happened in Northampton County.

Northampton County Circuit Court Records

The Northampton County Circuit Court holds what may be the oldest continuous set of court records in the United States. Records go back to 1632, covering court proceedings, land transactions, marriage licenses, probate files, and birth and death records from 1865 to 1888. For modern criminal background check purposes, the court holds felony convictions, guilty pleas, and case dispositions from Circuit Court proceedings.

Clerk Hon. Traci L. Johnson manages the office at 5229 The Hornes in Eastville. Deputy clerks Lauren M. Brown (Civil Division) and Morgan W. Doughty (Land Records and Criminal Division) assist with records requests. You can email the criminal division at mdoughty@vacourts.gov. For in-person visits or written requests, contact the clerk's office directly. The statewide Virginia Courts Case Information system also shows Northampton County cases online.

Note: The criminal division deputy clerk can be reached directly at mdoughty@vacourts.gov for questions about criminal case files.

FOIA Requests and Online Records

Northampton County has two FOIA channels. For county government records, contact Deputy County Administrator Janice Williams at the county offices in Eastville. For Circuit Court records, the FOIA contact is Clerk Traci L. Johnson at P.O. Box 36, Eastville, VA 23347. Both channels follow the same Virginia FOIA rules: respond within 5 working days, with up to 12 working days allowed if the request is complex. Criminal investigative files can take up to 65 working days.

Standard copy fees in Virginia run $0.50 per page. Certification adds $2.00 per document. Staff time is billed at the employee's hourly rate. You can ask for an estimate before any records are pulled. Deposits are required for requests where the cost is expected to exceed $200.

The Virginia FOIA Council provides guidance on public records rights across the state. If you have trouble getting records from a county agency, the FOIA Council can offer advice on how to proceed.

Virginia Background Check Laws in Northampton County

Virginia law governs public access to criminal records. The statutes in Title 19.2, Chapter 23 of the Virginia Code set the rules for how criminal history is collected, stored, and shared. The Virginia State Police runs the Central Criminal Records Exchange, which is the statewide repository. Northampton County courts and the Sheriff's Office contribute records to that system.

You can search for Northampton County sex offenders through the Virginia Sex Offender Registry. Registration is mandatory for many types of offenses, and the registry is public. Searches can be done by name or geographic area.

Virginia's record sealing law, found at Virginia Code section 19.2-392.12, allows some dismissed charges and certain convictions to be sealed. Sealed records do not appear in most public background check searches. However, law enforcement agencies can still access them. If a Northampton County case was dismissed or resulted in an acquittal, it may be eligible for sealing.

Common exemptions to public records access in Virginia include personnel records under section 2.2-3705.1(1), attorney-client communications under section 2.2-3705.1(2), criminal investigative files under section 2.2-3706.A(2), and records involving juveniles. These apply to Northampton County records the same as anywhere else in the state.

Northampton County Records Resources

The Northampton County Sheriff's Office serves the Eastern Shore community and maintains local criminal and arrest records available through FOIA.

The Sheriff's Office handles 24/7 patrol and criminal investigations, making it the primary source for local law enforcement records in Northampton County.

Criminal court records and civil filings dating back to 1632 are held by the Northampton County Circuit Court in Eastville.

The Circuit Court holds one of the most complete historical court record collections in the country, alongside current criminal case files.

Nearby Counties

Northampton County is on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The only neighboring Virginia county by land is Accomack to the north.