North Carolina Local Courts

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Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on North Carolina Local Courts

There are three types of North Carolina local courts. The first are District Courts, also called Trial Courts, which are located in the county seat of each county. District Courts handle civil cases where less than $10,000 is in dispute and criminal cases involving misdemeanors and infractions.

North Carolina's Superior Courts are also located in the county seat of each county. These handle larger cases than those tried in the District Courts. Felony cases, misdemeanor and infraction appeals, and civil cases with more than $10,000 in dispute are all heard in Superior Courts.

North Carolina's Small Claims Courts handle the smallest cases, those involving disputes involving $5,000 or less. Filing a case in Small Claims Court is less expensive than in the other courts, and you usually won't need a lawyer.

If you are a business person who was sued in a District Court or Superior Court, or if you want to file a suit there yourself, you should contact an attorney for assistance. If you were sued in Small Claims Court, or if you wish to file a Small Claims Court case, you can find helpful information on the Legal Aid of North Carolina website.

For more information on North Carolina local courts, see the links on this Business.com page.

North Carolina District Court

The North Carolina District Court system is part of the judicial branch of the federal government. Whether you are an attorney filing a federal case, a business owner pursuing or responding to litigation at the federal level or simply interested in reviewing North Carolina District Court records that affect your industry, you can access necessary information and even conduct case filing online through the District Court of North Carolina.

In many cases, you will have a choice about whether to file a case in the federal or state courts. Bankruptcy and intellectual property disputes, however, are important exceptions; these cases may only be tried at the federal level, in the North Carolina District Court. As with most states, North Carolina is divided geographically into more than one federal court district, and you will need to file or request information from the appropriate NC District Court. Use online resources to:

1. Identify the correct North Carolina District Court for filing a case.

2. Obtain forms and information about the federal NC court calendar.

3. Gain access to North Carolina District Court records.

Identify the appropriate North Carolina District Court

There are three federal court districts in North Carolina. Select the correct geographic North Carolina District Court website for information and resources.
Try: The Eastern District Court of North Carolina has four divisions, with public offices in Raleigh, Greenville and Wilmington. The North Carolina District Court's Middle District covers Greensboro, Winston-Salem and Durham. The Western District Court of North Carolina has its divisional offices in Asheville, Charlotte, Bryson City and Statesville.

File North Carolina District Court cases and access NC court calendar information electronically

Use online resources to file cases electronically and track the federal NC court calendar in each district. You must register to use the federal electronic filing and case management system, and each North Carolina District Court requires its own registration.
Try: File NC District Court cases, obtain case information and monitor the relevant federal NC court calendar by registering and logging in to the electronic database at the Eastern, Middle or Western District Court of North Carolina.

Obtain North Carolina court records

The best way to obtain federal NC court records information is to use PACER (Public Access to Court Electronic Records), the government's online database; registration is required. Other free NC court records databases may be less complete, but often provide easier access. For full reports, you'll have to go beyond free NC court public records.
Try: Register to use PACER for access to North Carolina District Court rulings. Use Justia.com to search for North Carolina District Court case by party name, case type or date; you can search by district or include the entire state. For full North Carolina District Court reports, the unofficial source is Thomson West's Federal Supplement; bankruptcy records from AR District Courts are available in Thomson West's Bankruptcy Reporter.

Don't confuse the State District Court of North Carolina system, formerly known as the municipal courts, with the federal North Carolina District Court, especially when searching for NC court records.