Find Civil Court Records in Franklin County

Franklin County civil court records are held by the Circuit Court Clerk in Rocky Mount, Virginia, part of the 22nd Judicial Circuit. The clerk manages civil case filings, judgments, land records, and related court documents for the county. You can search Franklin County civil court records online through Virginia's statewide CJISWeb system at no cost. This page explains how to search records, reach the clerk's office, request document copies, and understand filing procedures in Franklin County.

Franklin County Circuit Court Clerk

Teresa J. Brown serves as the Circuit Court Clerk for Franklin County. The clerk's office is at 275 South Main Street, Suite 212, Rocky Mount, VA 24151. The mailing address is P.O. Box 567, Rocky Mount, VA 24151. Office hours are Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Call (540) 483-3065 for general inquiries. The fax number is (540) 483-3042. You can also reach the clerk by email at tjbrown@vacourts.gov.

Franklin County's circuit court serves the county and the City of Franklin, which is an independent city in a different part of the state. Do not confuse the two. The City of Franklin, located in Southampton County's area, has its own separate circuit court clerk. Franklin County's court is in Rocky Mount and serves the 22nd Judicial Circuit along with Henry and Patrick counties.

Franklin County Civil Court Records Online

The Virginia Circuit Court Case Information System (CJISWeb) is the main online tool for searching Franklin County civil court records. Select Franklin County from the locality dropdown and enter a party name, case number, or date range to start your search. Results show the case type, parties, filing date, current status, and docket entries. CJISWeb is free and runs without a login at any hour.

For smaller civil matters, the General District Court case search covers civil claims handled at the district court level in Franklin County. Small claims and landlord-tenant cases often fall into this system rather than circuit court. Check both if you are not sure which court handled a particular case.

Older civil records that are not in the digital system may be available at the clerk's office in Rocky Mount or through the Library of Virginia. The Library of Virginia maintains historical civil court records from many Virginia counties and can be a valuable resource when online systems do not go back far enough.

Filing and Accessing Civil Records in Franklin County

Civil cases are filed at the clerk's office in Suite 212 on South Main Street in Rocky Mount. Filing fees follow the statewide schedule in Virginia Code § 17.1-275. Claims up to $3,000 carry a $100 base fee. The $200 fee applies to suits from $3,001 to $10,000. Claims from $10,001 to $25,000 cost $300. Claims over $25,000 carry a $400 base fee. Local surcharges may apply on top of these amounts.

Attorneys may submit civil filings electronically through the Virginia Judiciary E-Filing System. Self-represented parties must file in person at Suite 212 during office hours. Standard circuit court forms are available at courts.state.va.us/forms/circuit.

Civil court records in Franklin County are public under Virginia Code § 17.1-208. Any person may inspect filed civil case documents at the clerk's office during regular hours at no cost. Copies are $0.50 per page for standard copies and $2.00 per certified document. Send mail requests to P.O. Box 567, Rocky Mount, VA 24151 with the case details and payment enclosed.

Note: Sealed case files and records involving juvenile matters are excluded from the general public access rules and will not be released.

Cities in Franklin County's Circuit

The City of Franklin is an independent Virginia city that is served by a different circuit court than Franklin County. The city named Franklin is in the 5th Judicial Circuit, not the 22nd. If you are looking for civil court records from the City of Franklin, see the Franklin city civil court records page. The city of Roanoke sits in the adjacent 23rd Judicial Circuit to the north. Rocky Mount, the county seat of Franklin County, does not have its own independent circuit court and is served by the Franklin County clerk.

Nearby Counties

Franklin County sits in southwest Virginia surrounded by several neighboring counties. Roanoke County is to the north. Bedford County lies to the northeast. Henry County borders to the south. Patrick County is to the southwest. Floyd County lies to the northwest. Each county has its own circuit court clerk and handles civil court records independently through the statewide CJISWeb system.