Washington County Court Records

The Vt. Pub. Acc. Ct. Rec. Rule 2 defines Washington County court records as documents in the custody of the Superior Court, including administrative and case records. Judges and lawyers rely on these records to reference past cases, interpret laws, and make informed decisions. Members of the public use court records to know the status of a case. Access to court records makes the following information available to requesters:

• Case summary (case title, number, location, and filing date)
• Case information (date and case type, and status)
• Assignment information (court and date assigned)
• Party information (plaintiff and defendant's names and attorneys' names)
• Case events (date and event)

Are Court Records Public in Washington County?

Yes. The Vermont Public Records Act and the Vt. Pub. Acc. Ct. Rec. Rule 3 authorize public inspection and copying of court records. Therefore, anyone can have physical and electronic access to records maintained by any Washington County court. However, courts have some records they do not provide to the public because they are deemed confidential by law. Examples of such records are highlighted in Vt. Pub. Acc. Ct. Rec. Rule 6:

• Mental health records
• Juvenile court records
• Certain financial information
• confidential business information such as trade secrets
• Any evidence introduced in a judicial proceeding which is confidential
• Information gotten from an individual during their risk assessment or needs screening
• Judicial work products such as memoranda, notes, research results, or drafts are created by a judge.
• All information or documents filed to initiate a criminal proceeding if no probable cause was found for the charges.
• Any audio or video recording, transcript, or court reporter's notes of a proceeding which is confidential
• Information provided in a potential juror's written responses to questionnaires associated with jury service excluding their names and town of residence.
• All documents associated with a search warrant issuance, including the warrant itself, application, inventory, supporting affidavit(s), and testimony until the warrant is returned.
• Personal identifying information like a social security number, a taxpayer identification number, a passport number, or a financial account number.

Washington County Court Records Search

Individuals can easily find Washington County court records via the following means:

• Online through third-party databases
• Online through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal
• Through public access terminals at the courthouse
• In-person at the courthouse from the Record staff
• By sending request forms by mail or email to the courthouse

Washington County Courts

Washington County has only one court, the Superior Court. This court had several divisions that handled different cases filed with them. Below are the addresses of the Washington County Superior Court divisions:

Washington County Superior Court Civil and Probate Divisions
65 State Street,
Montpelier, VT 05602
Phone: (802) 828-2091

Washington County Superior Court Criminal and Family Divisions
255 North Main St,
Suite 1,
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-4205

Washington County Criminal Records

The Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC) issues Washington County criminal records to members of the public. Unnotarized copies of records can be retrieved online on the Vermont Conviction Report (VCCRIS) website. This site provides immediate copies of criminal records, and a $30.00 charge per conviction report has been paid. Individuals who want notarized copies of records can submit requests by mail or in person. Those who want to appear in person at the VCIC should visit on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a valid ID. The VCIC provides same-day services but processes requests received after 3:30 p.m. the next business day. In-person requesters can pay record fees by money order, cash, credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, or Discover), or bank checks. Mail requesters should send a completed Public Request For Criminal Conviction Information, a self-addressed, stamped envelope, and a $30 cashier's check or money order to:

Criminal Records Section
Vermont Crime Information Center
45 State Drive
Waterbury, VT 05671-1300

Residents can find Washington County arrest records in the police department in the city or town where the arrest occurred. For example, the Montpelier Police Department publishes these records online for free. Click the Monthly Arrest Report link on the left navigation plane to view them.

Get Washington County Civil Court Records

The Washington County Superior Court's Civil Division has jurisdiction over civil cases such as eviction, breach of contract, foreclosure, land disputes, small claims up to $10,000, personal injury, medical malpractice, and wrongful death. It also handles appeals from the Probate Division. The Division maintains records of these cases and provides them to customers via the following methods:

• Online: Requesters can use the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal to find civil court records. The search parameters are name (attorney, business, party, judicial officer, or nickname) or number (attorney bar number, case cross-reference number, case number, or citation number). Users can streamline their searches by going to the "General Options" section and selecting "Washington Unit" from the dropdown. Also, scroll to the "Case Search Criteria" section and select "All Case Types".
• By mail: Inquirers can complete the Request for Access to Court Records Form and send it to the court. They must mail a fee ( 25¢ per page and $5 for certified copies) payable by check or money order alongside the form.
• Email: To retrieve copies of civil court records, individuals can email a Request for Access to Court Records Form to WashingtonUnit@vtcourts.gov.
• In-person: Requesters can visit the courthouse from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to obtain copies of records. They can either use the public access terminals or request assistance from the record staff.

Washington County Marriage Records

The Washington County Town and City Clerks provide marriage records on file in their offices to in-person requesters. Requests should be submitted during business hours. The record staff will require that a name or marriage date be provided to facilitate the search.

Certified and noncertified copies of Washington County marriage records can also be obtained from the Vermont Department of Health. Orders for certified copies can be made online and by mail. Mail orders cost $10, payable by check or money order, while online orders cost $12, payable by credit card. Mail customers requesting a marriage record occurring from 2022 to the present should submit a completed Application for Certified Copy of Vermont Marriage or Divorce or Civil Union Dissolution Certificate form. Those ordering records of marriages that occurred before 2021 should complete the Certified Copy of Marriage/Civil Union or Divorce Record form. Requesters in need of noncertified copies of Washington County marriage certificates can submit a written request to the Department by email or mail.

Washington County Divorce Records

Individuals can find copies of all family-related cases, including divorce, at the Washington County Superior Court Family Division. They can submit a Request for Access to Court Records by email, mail, or in person at the courthouse. The court charges 25¢ per page for copies of divorce records and $5 for certified copies. The court also has public access terminals where individuals can view divorce records for free—however, any record printed from the terminal cost a per-page fee.

Record seekers can view divorce records from the comfort of thier homes via the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. Before entering a search criteria, go to the "General Options" section and select "Washington Unit" from the "Filter by Location" dropdown. Then scroll to the "Case Search Criteria" section and select "Family Division" from the "Filter by Case Type" dropdown.

Washington Birth and Death Records

Residents can find Washington County vital records at Town/City Clerks' Offices. These offices issue certified and noncertified copies of birth and death records in person during business hours. Some Town/City Clerks' offices have online indexes where users can find birth and death records without charges.

The Vermont Department of Health also provides certified and noncertified copies of birth and death records online and by mail. Certified copies ordered online cost $12, payable by credit card. The processing time is 5 to 7 business days. Mail customers should complete the Application for Certified Copy of Vermont Birth or Death Certificate Form. Afterwards, they should mail the form, a copy of their ID, a $10 fee in the form of a check or money order, and a self-addressed envelope to the:

Vermont Department of Health
Vital Records
280 State Drive
Waterbury, VT 05671-8370

Non-certifed copies of birth and death certificates can be obtained by submitting a written request to the Department. The request should contain the event type (for example, Washington County birth certificate), the name of the subject of records, and the date of the event. The written request can sent to the Department by email at vitalrecords@vermont.gov or by mail.

Washington County Probate Court Records

The Washington County Superior Court Probate Division handles cases relating to wills, estate settlements, name changes, adoptions, guardianships, and civil commitments. Records of some of these cases are available online to the public through the Vermont Judiciary Public Portal. Users can enter a name or number in the appropriate search field to locate a record. To narrow the search, go to the "General Options" section and select "Washington Unit" from the "Filter by Location" area. Afterward, scroll to the "Case Search Criteria" section and select Probate Division from the "Filter by Case Type" dropdown.

Alternatively, requesters can complete a Request for Access to Court Records form and submit it by email at WashingtonUnit@vtcourts.gov, mail, or in person at the courthouse to obtain copies of probate court records. Paper copies of probate court records cost 25¢ per page, and certified copies cost $5. In-person requests should be made from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In-person requests can also use the Public Access Terminals available at the courthouse to view and print probate court records.

Washington County Property Records

Record seekers can find copies of Washington County property records at the Assessor or Clerk's office in the city where the property is located. The most common way of finding these records is in person. Most offices accept property record requests from Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Some city Assessors and Clerk's offices have online portals where individuals can view property records for free. For example, the Town of Barre Clerk has an online portal for such services. Users register to access the portal or sign in as a guest. The search criteria are name, document number, property address, or book/page.

Washington County Court Records Online

Record seekers can also find court records from several third-party platforms, like vermontcourtrecords.us. These sites make it easy for users to search for records by name or case number. The search will reveal basic case information for free and require a subscription for more extensive searches. One major benefit of third-party sites is that users can access court records across multiple jurisdictions. However, users should be careful when using information obtained from third-party sites because information on some sites may be inaccurate or incomplete.