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Harnett County, North Carolina State Court Records

The Harnett County court records include documentation of cases or actions heard by the local superior and district courts. These records are preserved primarily by the Clerk of the Superior Court and promote public access to the justice system by providing a verbatim, permanent account of the court’s adjudicative functions.

Court records include information about a wide range of legal matters, including criminal cases (felonies & misdemeanors), probate (wills & estates), civil disputes, and traffic violations.

Additionally, these records occasionally feature other documents originally maintained by separate government agencies. For instance, vital records (birth, death, marriage certificates), while primarily maintained by the Register of Deeds, Harnett County Health Department, or the NC Department of Health and Human Services, frequently become part of the permanent court records when submitted as evidence to defend a claim, establish a legal relationship, or for another case purpose.

Are Harnett County Court Records Public?

Yes. North Carolina’s Public Records Law (Chapter 132 of the NC General Statutes) grants widespread access to records of the state judiciary, including those of the courts in Harnett County. This openness enables any member of the public to request the inspection or copying of Harnett County court records from the designated custodian-the Harnett County Clerk of the Superior Court.

Notwithstanding, a caveat applies where a record is deemed confidential by law, court rule, or court order. In such circumstances, access may be provided only to persons directly related to the case (e.g., the litigants or their attorneys) or to persons with legal or judicial authority to inspect the record. Examples of confidential records include

  • Medical, psychiatric, or psychological records
  • Adoption files
  • Juvenile records
  • Trial preparation materials
  • Sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers and financial account numbers
  • Proprietary business information
  • Grand jury proceedings

What Information is Available in Harnett County Court Records?

The information featured in Harnett County court records primarily depends on the case type, duration, or complexity. A case that extends over a longer period will often have a larger volume of filings than one resolved in a shorter time. In the same way, documentation from a civil case is fundamentally different from that of a criminal case, given that the actions address different areas of law. Nevertheless, members of the public can often find the following details:

  • The type of proceeding (civil, criminal, traffic, etc.)
  • The unique identifier assigned to the proceeding, commonly called the case or docket number
  • The filing date, along with all past and future hearing dates, times, and courtroom locations
  • The full legal names of all participants in the case, encompassing the plaintiffs, defendants, and their attorneys
  • All fines, costs, bonds, and restitutions issued for the case
  • All orders, judgments, and decrees (interim or final) issued by the court

Harnett County Court Records Search

Here’s how to conduct a Harnett County court records search

  • Online: The eCourts portal provided by the NC Judiciary is the primary resource for retrieving Harnett County court records. Users can navigate to the portal on an internet-connected device, select the Smart Search tab, and enter a case number or name in the search field.

To restrict the search results specifically to Harnett County, one must ensure that "Harnett County" is selected in the "Filter by Location" section, which is found under the Advanced Filtering Options.

Additionally, the portal provides a Search Hearings feature that allows users to look up scheduled court appearances, hearings, or trials, as well as search a judgment index.

Individuals can also look up the civil and criminal calendars of the Harnett County courts.

  • InPerson: Individuals can visit the Harnett County main courthouse to view records on public, self-service terminals. Like the web-based eCourts portal, there is no charge to utilize such access points. Visitors can also ask staff at the Clerk’s office to duplicate desired records for a fee.

For older court records, one can explore resources provided by the North Carolina State Archives.

  • By Mail: One can draft a request letter to send to the Clerk’s office mailing address (the same as the main courthouse street address below). This letter should include all pertinent details (full names, case numbers, citation numbers, filing dates, and the specific document title) to aid court staff in promptly identifying and locating the sought-after record. Along with the letter, the requester will need to include a self-addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to enable the return of copies and the required fees (payable by certified check or money order).

For more information about mail-in requests, one can contact the Clerk’s Office at (910) 814-4600 or submit an online inquiry.

Fees for Court Records in Harnett County

Certain statutory fees apply when requesting copies of court records from the Harnett County Clerk of the Superior Court’s Office.

  • Photocopies: $2 (first page), and 25 cents for each additional page (per G.S. 7A-308(a)(12))
  • Certified Copies: $3 (per G.S. 7A-308(a)(9))
  • Exemplified Copies: $10 (per G.S. 7A-308(a)(10))

However, when accessing the eCourts portal online or using public computers at the main courthouse, no fees are charged to the requester/user.

An Important Note For Those Seeking Harnett County Vital Records: The Clerk of the Superior Court’s Office is not the official custodian of these records. Instead, requests can be submitted and paid to the following departments:

  • Harnett County Register of Deeds: This county agency issues certificates of births, deaths, and marriages that occurred in Harnett County. The office can also perform a statewide search for those born from 1971 to the present.
  • North Carolina Office of Vital Records (NCOVR): The North Carolina Office of Vital Records (NCOVR) is the sole authority for issuing birth certificates for adopted children. This office is responsible for providing birth (1913-present), death (1930-present), marriage (1962-present), and divorce (1958-present) certificates, as well as fetal death reports (2001-present), for events that occurred within any of North Carolina’s 100 counties.

Harnett County Courthouse Locations

Legal matters in Harnett County are adjudicated by its judicial system, which consists of a superior court and a district court.

The superior court is the highest trial court, generally handling more significant or high-stakes issues, such as civil claims exceeding $25,000, felony cases, appeals from the district court concerning misdemeanors and infractions, and appeals of administrative agency decisions.

Conversely, the district court handles cases involving civil, criminal, juvenile, and magistrate matters, often serving as the initial entry point for many legal matters.

Harnett County’s superior and district courts handled proceedings at the following courthouses:

Harnett County Courthouse (Main Courthouse)

301 West Cornelius Harnett Boulevard

Suite 100

Lillington, NC 27546

Phone (Main): (910) 814-4400

Dunn Court Annex

401 East Broad Street

Dunn, NC 28334

Phone (Main): (910) 892-1122

Criminal Records Access in Harnett County

These are the different ways to access criminal records in Harnett County

  • The NC Judiciary’s eCourts Portal: Individuals can search this portal with a name or case/citation number to view criminal case information, records, or documents online, regardless of whether the case was filed in the superior or district court. An overview of the eCourts portal is provided online by the Harnett County Clerk of Superior Court’s Office.
  • In-Person Courthouse Visit (Certified Criminal Background Check): Visiting the Harnett County Courthouse allows members of the public to look up a Harnett County criminal record by name for free on public terminals. Upon paying a statutory $25 fee, the Clerk will review the record and provide a certified copy to the requester.
  • Mail Inquiry (Certified Criminal Background Check): Individuals can request a certified name inquiry check from the Harnett County Superior Court Clerk’s Office to receive a copy of anyone’s criminal history in Harnett County. This request can be made by submitting Form AOC-CR-314 and paying the statutory $25 fee to the Clerk’s office. The Clerk’s mailing address is the same as the main courthouse’s street address.

It should be noted that court-certified criminal background checks reveal only charge and disposition information for a criminal case. Further, the checks cover only Harnett County. If seeking records from other counties or criminal justice agencies in North Carolina (e.g., arrest records), it is recommended to either contact the designated records custodian or request criminal history information from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI). Unlike the court-certified criminal background check, NCSBI checks are restricted to subjects of records. Each request costs $14.

Harnett County Probate Records

Probate in Harnett County is a type of civil court proceeding heard in the Harnett County Superior Court. It aims to determine the validity of a deceased person’s will and distribute their assets as provided by the will or, if none exists, according to the North Carolina intestacy statutes. Probate proceedings also address the appointment of guardians for minors or incapacitated adults, trusts, will contests, and claims against an estate.

Specifically, while probate is a Superior Court matter in Harnett County, the Clerk of Superior Court acts as the "ex officio judge of probate." The Clerk acts as the presiding judicial officer, managing the court proceedings and carrying out responsibilities typically assigned to judges. Furthermore, the Clerk is officially responsible for maintaining all records of the probate court.

Harnett County probate records are open to members of the public under the North Carolina Public Records Law. Consequently, anyone can request to view/copy probated wills and other estate records maintained by the Clerk’s office. Access is provided online through eCourts or at the courthouse.

Confidential records, such as wills placed in safekeeping with the Clerk’s office (G.S. § 31-11), sensitive personal identifiers, medical and psychiatric reports, and guardianship reports are exempt from the public’s access and only released to eligible requesters. For example, safekeeping of wills can be reviewed only by the individual who signed the will, the individual’s attorney, or the individual’s duly authorized agent.

Harnett County Family Court Records

Family law is a field of law that addresses matters involving domestic or family relationships. In Harnett County, these matters are heard in the District Court and include divorce, child support, custody, visitation, marital property division, annulment, and alimony.

Family court records-the official documentation of family law cases-are publicly accessible under North Carolina’s Public Records Law. This means anyone can access the NC Judiciary’s eCourts database, visit the local courthouse, or send a formal request to the Clerk’s office to view or copy the records. However, confidential records, such as minors’ full names and addresses, adoption files, and financial statements, are withheld from the general public.

Federal Court Records in Harnett County

Harnett County falls under the purview of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. This court, primarily its Raleigh divisional office, hears criminal, civil, and bankruptcy cases arising from Harnett County and involving federal law.

Individuals seeking federal court records can visit any courthouse located within the Eastern District. Public terminals are available for case inspection and copying (10 cents per page). Staff of the federal clerk’s office can also assist with duplicating records (for 50 cents per page) and providing certified copies as needed ($11 per certification).

Alternatively, federal cases before the North Carolina Eastern District Court can be searched using the online case locator (PACER), or a copy request can be submitted online to the Eastern District clerk’s office.