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 October 9, 2026.
Amherst County, Virginia, has about 32,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Amherst Circuit Court and the General District Court, and the file of each case, kept by the Circuit Court Clerk, 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, directory links and common questions.
Related guides: Amherst County public records, Amherst County arrest records, Amherst County warrants, Amherst County inmate search, Amherst County criminal records, Virginia arrest records and Virginia inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Amherst County
In Amherst County, the Amherst Circuit Court hears felonies, divorces, the larger civil cases and appeals from the district courts.
The General District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases and smaller civil cases; the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court takes family and juvenile cases.
Divorces go to the Circuit Court, and the file stays with the Circuit Court Clerk.
The Circuit Court Clerk keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.
Looking Up a Case from Amherst County
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at countyofamherst.com/department/division.php?structureid=58 (page title: Clerk's Office | Amherst County, Virginia), phone (434) 946-9321, 113 Taylor St, Amherst, VA 24521, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 24, 2026.
Statewide, Online Case Information System is the Virginia courts' free statewide case search.
The Virginia court page SearchSystems verified is at vacourts.gov/caseinfo/home.
What Reaches the Court from Amherst County
Together, the two agencies in Amherst County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 478 arrests to the FBI that year; the Commonwealth's Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Amherst Circuit Court or the General District Court.
The Commonwealth's Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at countyofamherst.com/department/index.php?structureid=5 (page title: Commonwealth's Attorney | Amherst County, Virginia), phone (434) 946-9316, 113 Taylor St, Amherst, VA 24521, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on October 9, 2026.
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 Amherst County guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Amherst County criminal records, Amherst County divorce records, Amherst County traffic tickets, Amherst County DUI and Amherst County property records.
More Official Court Pages for Amherst County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Amherst County and Virginia. These court pages from its Amherst County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- GENERAL DISTRICT COURT ONLINE CASE INFORMATION SYSTEM (eapps.courts.state.va.us)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Amherst County?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at countyofamherst.com, phone (434) 946-9321. Statewide, Online Case Information System is the Virginia courts' free statewide case search.
Which court hears felonies in Amherst County?
The Amherst Circuit Court, which hears felonies, divorces, the larger civil cases and appeals from the district courts. The General District Court takes misdemeanors, traffic cases and smaller civil cases; the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court takes family and juvenile cases.
Who keeps the court records in Amherst County?
The Circuit Court Clerk. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Virginia?
Yes: Online Case Information System, the Virginia courts' free statewide case search.
Is this the official Amherst County website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.