How to Find the Court Records for a 1991 North Carolina Case
Court proceedings in North Carolina -- indeed, anywhere in the United States -- are public record, and anyone can obtain those records. First, though, you need to know how to find them. Certain pieces of information, such as the type of case, when it was heard and what court heard it, are essential to locating court documents.
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Instructions
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Determine the basic information about the case. Start with the type of case. Was it a criminal proceeding? Divorce? Civil lawsuit? Next, determine which court was most likely to have heard the case. North Carolina has district, superior, appellate and supreme courts. District Courts hear criminal, juvenile and magistrate cases and civil cases involving less than $10,000 in claims. The Superior Court hears civil cases involving more than $10,000 and all criminal felony cases. If necessary, interview people involved with the case to narrow down this information.
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Identify where the case was heard. Local courts hear local cases. The state divides district courts by county. There are 46 of them in the state. North Carolina also has eight Superior Court divisions. Each superior court hears cases from four to seven counties.
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Call the clerk of courts in the county where the case was likely heard and ask for information about the case. Provide details, including the plaintiff and defendant, the date the case was heard and anything else you know. This will help the clerk narrow the search.
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Submit necessary documentation. The clerk might require a written request and a fee if you want copies of court documents. Some documents are maintained online, but most do not include information from 1991.
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If the county has no records of the case, check to see whether the case might have been filed in an adjacent county or whether the plaintiff or defendant used a different name.
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If you cannot find information, contact a plaintiff, defendant or attorney involved with the case to ask for guidance. They might have knowledge of why you cannot find information, and they might have information in their own files that exceeds what you would find at a courthouse.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to cite North Carolina's public records law if you are denied access to documents. You might speed up the process by showing up at the courthouse to request information in person.
Gag orders on some cases block access to details, particularly in civil lawsuits.
References
Resources
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