How to Find Arlington County Court Dockets
Start with the court that holds the case. Circuit Court dockets are in the Virginia Circuit Court Case Information system. District court dockets use the General District Court Online Case Information system. Both let you search by hearing date, which is the fastest way to see a full day's docket for one court.
A hearing-date search returns every case set for that day in the selected court. A name search returns one party's cases. A case-number search jumps straight to one file. Pick the method that fits what you already know.
- Choose the court that heard or will hear the case.
- Open the matching state case system and select Arlington.
- Pick the hearing-date tab to view a whole docket, or search by name.
- Open the case to read its docket entries and next date.
- Write down the case number and courtroom before you go.
Juvenile and family dockets are different. Most J&DR matters are confidential, so they will not show up in a public hearing-date search the way adult cases do.
What an Arlington County Court Docket Shows
A docket and a full case record are not the same thing. The docket is the timeline. It lists each filing, motion, hearing, order, and result in date order. The full case file holds the actual documents behind those entries. Free online systems give you the docket and case status, not scanned documents.
| Feature | Court Docket | Full Case Record |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Chronological list of case activity | The complete file with documents |
| Where to get it | Free state case systems | Clerk copy request |
| Shows hearings | Yes, with dates and results | Yes, plus the filed papers |
| Shows documents | No, entries only | Yes, copies on request |
| Cost | Free to view | $0.50 per page; $2.00 to certify |
For the documents behind a docket, request copies through the Clerk of the Circuit Court or read the Arlington County court records page.
Circuit Court Dockets and Terms
The Arlington Circuit Court sits in the 17th Judicial Circuit and serves Arlington County and the City of Falls Church. It runs felony trials, divorce, probate appointments, large civil cases, and appeals from the district courts. Chief Judge Judith L. Wheat leads the bench, joined by Judges Louise M. DiMatteo, Daniel S. Fiore II, and Daniel Tomas Lopez.
Circuit Court work is organized into terms of court, and the court posts calendars ahead of time, including its 2026 and 2027 calendars and local rules. Bench warrant arraignments can be heard Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m. The court's motions and trial dates are set by term, so the docket you pull online reflects that schedule.
Note: the free Circuit Court system tells users to log off when finished and to avoid the browser back button, or the session can drop.
General District Court Criminal and Traffic Dockets
The Arlington General District Court carries the heaviest docket volume in the county. It hears misdemeanors, traffic cases, preliminary felony hearings, bond motions, and civil claims up to $25,000. Chief Judge Jason S. Rucker leads it, with Judges Adam M. Krischer and Cari M. Steele. The clerk is Brian P. Henshaw at 703-228-7900.
Criminal, traffic, and civil cases each run on their own docket schedule, posted by the court. Traffic fines can be prepaid by calling 703-228-4599 without a court appearance for many offenses. The court also posts docket-modification memos when schedules change, so confirm a date before you travel to the courthouse.
For ticket-specific detail, see the Arlington County traffic court records page.
Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Dockets
The Arlington Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court handles custody, support, visitation, family abuse, child welfare, and juvenile cases. It also sits in the 17th Judicial District. Presiding Judge Robin L. Robb Kendrick leads the court with Judge W. Michael Chick Jr., and the clerk is Teresa Elizabeth Lara at 703-228-4495.
These dockets are far more restricted than adult dockets. Juvenile records are confidential by statute, and family matters often involve sealed addenda. The court services unit handles intake, probation, and supervised visitation through programs like Safe Havens, but the case files behind those dockets are not open public records.
Reading Arlington County Docket Entries
Docket text uses shorthand. A few terms come up on almost every criminal and traffic docket, and reading them right keeps you from misjudging a case. Here are the ones you will see most.
- Continuance
- A postponement of a hearing or trial to a later date.
- Capias / bench warrant
- A court order to bring a person in, often after a missed date.
- Arraignment
- A hearing where charges are read and plea, counsel, or bond may be set.
- Nolle prosequi
- The prosecutor's formal decision not to pursue a charge.
- Disposition
- The final result of a charge or the case.
Disposition is the entry that matters most. A docket with no final disposition means the case is still open.
Continuances and Missed Court Dates
Cases move dates often. A continuance can come from either side or from the court, and it resets the next docket entry. Always check the most recent entry for the current date, because an older printout can be wrong.
Missing a court date is serious. A judge may issue a bench warrant or capias, add costs, or take other action depending on the case. If you have an outstanding date, contact the clerk or your attorney quickly. The Arlington County warrant records page explains how to check for a bench warrant and how to resolve one.
Federal Court Dockets for Arlington Cases
Some Arlington cases are federal, not county. Federal trial matters tied to Arlington are filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, depending on venue and subject matter. County clerks do not hold these records. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia posts court information, divisions, and filing rules.
This court hears federal crimes, civil-rights suits, and other federal-question cases that can involve Arlington residents.
Debt and bankruptcy filings go to a separate court. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia handles Chapter 7, 11, and 13 dockets for the district.
Bankruptcy dockets list creditors, hearings, and the trustee assigned to a case.
Appeals from the Eastern District go up one level. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reviews those federal cases.
Its docket shows briefing schedules and argument dates for appeals.
Federal prosecutions in the area come from one office. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia handles federal criminal charges that touch Arlington, Falls Church, and Reagan National Airport.
The office lists its divisions and press releases, but case dockets live with the courts.
| Federal Court | Role | Docket Access |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. District Court, E.D. Va. | Federal trial court | PACER |
| U.S. Bankruptcy Court, E.D. Va. | Bankruptcy filings | PACER |
| U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit | Federal appeals | PACER |
PACER and Free Docket Research
Official federal dockets and documents come from one national system. PACER requires a free account and charges per page to view dockets and filings, with fee waivers and quarterly limits for light users. It is the official source for federal case activity in Arlington-area cases.
Register first, then search by party name or case number across federal courts.
A free research option exists too. CourtListener hosts many federal opinions and some docket materials at no cost. It is a research tool, not the official docket, so confirm anything important against PACER or the court.
It is useful for reading opinions when you do not want to pay PACER fees.