Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and September 25, 2026.
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in Forsyth County, has about 256,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Forsyth County Superior Court and the District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Clerk of Superior Court, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files and common questions.
Related guides: Winston-Salem public records, Forsyth County court records, Winston-Salem arrest records, Winston-Salem warrants, Winston-Salem criminal records, Winston-Salem police reports, North Carolina arrest records and North Carolina inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Winston-Salem
Court cases from Winston-Salem are filed in the Forsyth County Superior Court, which hears felonies and civil cases over $25,000.
Below it, the District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, divorces, child custody, small claims and civil cases up to $25,000.
Divorces go to the District Court, and the file stays with the Clerk of Superior Court.
The Clerk of Superior Court keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the North Carolina Public Records Act.
Looking Up a Case from Winston-Salem
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at nccourts.gov/locations/forsyth-county (page title: Forsyth County | North Carolina Judicial Branch), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Statewide, eCourts Portal is the North Carolina Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
The North Carolina court page SearchSystems verified is at nccourts.gov/help-topics/court-records/obtaining-court-records.
What Reaches the Court from Winston-Salem
Together, the three agencies in Forsyth County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 10,416 arrests to the FBI that year; the District Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Forsyth County Superior Court or the District Court.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Winston-Salem guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Winston-Salem criminal records, Winston-Salem divorce records, Winston-Salem traffic tickets and Winston-Salem property records.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Winston-Salem?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at nccourts.gov/locations/forsyth-county. Statewide, eCourts Portal is the North Carolina Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Winston-Salem?
The Forsyth County Superior Court, which hears felonies and civil cases over $25,000. The District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases, divorces, child custody, small claims and civil cases up to $25,000.
Who keeps the court records in Winston-Salem?
The Clerk of Superior Court. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in North Carolina?
Yes: eCourts Portal, the North Carolina Judicial Branch's free statewide case search.
Is this the official Winston-Salem website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.