Arlington County Circuit Court Clerk

The Arlington County Clerk of the Circuit Court

The Clerk of the Circuit Court is an elected constitutional office in every Virginia county and large city. The county says it performs more varied functions than any other office in the Commonwealth. Paul F. Ferguson holds the post for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church and has served since January 1, 2008.

Ferguson is a George Mason Law School graduate and a former county board member. The clerk's biography page lists his record-access improvements, from electronic case files to bilingual self-help materials.

It is a useful profile of the office and the person who runs it.

Circuit Court Clerk Divisions

The clerk's office splits into divisions, each with its own suite and phone. Routing your question to the right division gets a faster answer. The civil and criminal divisions handle case files. Land Records and Probate handle property and estate work. The table lists the main contacts.

What the Clerk's Office Maintains

The clerk's record set is broad because the Circuit Court is Virginia's trial court of general jurisdiction. Beyond case files, the office keeps a range of records that touch property, family, and personal matters. The main categories are below.

• Civil and criminal Circuit Court case files
• Land records, including deeds and documents affecting title
• Judgments and financing statements
• Marriage licenses
• Probate records and wills
• Concealed handgun permits and name change orders

That mix is why the county calls the clerk one of the most varied offices in the Commonwealth.

How to Request a Certified Copy

The clerk handles copy requests by email, mail, or in person, but not by phone or online payment. A certified copy carries the clerk's seal and is the version courts and agencies accept. The copy and document requests page lists the emails, fees, and turnaround target.

It explains how to send a request and how copies are delivered.

1. Identify the case and the documents you need.
2. Email civil-docrequest@arlingtonva.us for civil files or CCT-DocRequest@arlingtonva.us for criminal files.
3. Include the case number, party names, and document names.
4. State that you need certified copies and how you want them delivered.
5. Pay $0.50 per page plus $2.00 for each certification.
6. Pick up or have copies mailed; certified copies are not sent by email.

The office tries to fill document requests within two business days, though that depends on volume.

Records Request Fields

There is no single PDF form for copies, so a clear email does the job. Include enough detail for the clerk to find the file. These are the practical fields to provide.

A defendant who requests copies of their own criminal case file does not pay the copy fee.

Arlington Circuit Court Clerk Fees

Most fees are set per page, with flat charges for certification and certain documents. Land records and subscriptions have their own pricing. The common clerk fees are below.

In person, pay by cash, check, money order, or card with a 4% convenience fee. Personal checks are not accepted for some services.

Land Records Division

The Land Records Division records deeds and other documents that affect title to real property in Arlington County and the City of Falls Church. It also files judgments and financing statements. Recording runs from 8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and the record room is open for research by request during clerk hours. The Land Records page covers recording, copies, and remote access.

Documents must be original, signed, and notarized when recording requires it.

Searching Land Records Online

Land records can be searched online through a separate county portal. A free registered account lets you view the index. Document images require a per-page purchase or a subscription that needs an application and approval. The land index reaches back electronically to 1869.

Use the Arlington land records search portal to start an index search. Image access carries the per-page and transaction fees noted above.

The portal is the fastest way to find a deed or judgment by party name.

Marriage Licenses and Probate

The clerk also issues marriage licenses and handles probate. Marriage licenses are issued by appointment, and the clerk does not perform ceremonies. Probate qualifies personal representatives and records wills and estate files.

Each has its own page. See marriage and divorce records for the license steps and probate records for estate filing. Both run out of the same clerk's office.

Electronic Filing and Remote Access

Arlington's clerk has pushed records online over the years. Ferguson's office moved from paper to electronic civil and criminal case files and added electronic filing. The county encourages eRecording and eFiling for the fastest service. The office still does not accept filings by email, and civil matters started on paper carry a $5 submission fee.

Other reforms include cutting jury service from two weeks to one day or one trial, bilingual assistance across the office, and English and Spanish sample forms for self-represented, uncontested divorce. The District Court page covers the limited-jurisdiction courts that feed cases up to the Circuit Court.

Court Forms and Self-Help

Self-represented filers can find official forms and guidance online. The state runs a forms library and a self-help site that work alongside the clerk's process. The Virginia court forms library holds the statewide forms.

It is where most divorce, civil, and probate forms come from.

For step-by-step guidance, the Virginia Court Self-Help site explains common procedures.

Court staff cannot give legal advice, so these tools fill the gap for self-represented filers.

Related Arlington County Record Searches

The clerk connects to Arlington County court records, court dockets, probate records, and public records for land and agency files.