What are McDowell County Arrest Records?
The McDowell County Sheriff's Office generates and maintains the arrest records of county offenders. Records may include arrest-related information such as time and location of arrest, charge description, type of offense committed. Arrest records also include basic information on the offender such as the home address, age, photograph, race, height, and body weight. Persons interested in obtaining copies of the arrest records may apply to the McDowell County Sheriff's Office in person or by mail.
McDowell County Sheriff's Office
593 Spaulding Road,
Marion, NC 28752
Office Phone: (828) 652-2235
Crime Statistics
The 2017 Crime in the United States report released by the Criminal Justice Information Services Division of the FBI, reveals that the Sheriff's Office recorded a total of 1648 offenses. The most prevalent crimes in McDowell county were property crimes, as the Sheriff’s office recorded 802 cases. Other crimes include 425 larceny-thefts, 278 burglary crimes, 99 motor vehicle thefts, 25 aggravated assault crimes, 13 arson crimes, four robberies, and two murder/ nonnegligent manslaughter crime.
What are McDowell County Criminal Records?
McDowell county criminal records are official documents that reveal details of the criminal activity of past and present county offenders. County criminal records contain details on the offense type, charge description, arrest and indictment records, criminal convictions, sentences, and acquittals. The McDowell Clerk of Court's Office maintains county criminal history information.
How Do I Get McDowell County Criminal Records?
Interested persons may retrieve copies of McDowell county criminal records by submitting a completed Criminal Record Search Form to the McDowell Clerk of Court's Office by mail or in person. The process requires the payment of a $25 record processing fee. For mail-in requests, the fee may be paid by money order or certified check, while payments for in-person requests are made by credit card, cash, money order, or a certified check.
County citizens may also do a self-service non-certified background check at the clerk's office at no charge, except printing charges. For more information, call the Court Clerk on (828) 652-7717.
Clerk of Superior Court
McDowell County Courthouse
21 S. Main Street
Marion, NC 28752
How to Find McDowell County Sex Offender Information
North Carolina's State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI) maintains a Sex Offender Registry where the general public may access information on sex offenders. The registry provides relevant information on registered sex offenders such as name, physical description, and location of the sex offender.
How do I Visit an Inmate in McDowell County Jail?
All visits must be scheduled by reaching out to the McDowell County Jail administrator before the actual visit. Persons above 18 years old are permitted to visit inmates two times a week. Minors must be accompanied by an adult with a valid government-issued ID. Visitors must not wear revealing or suggestive clothing for visitation, neither are they allowed to carry prohibited items such as cell phones, cameras, weapons, etc. Visitors are required to sign in at the county jail at least 15 minutes before the scheduled visit. Each visit must not last for more than 30 minutes.
McDowell County Jail
593 Spaulding Road,
Marion, NC, 28752
The visiting hours at the County jail are from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm.
Where and How to Find McDowell County Inmate Information
The McDowell County Sheriff's Office files and disseminates county inmate information. Interested persons may visit the physical location of the County Sheriff's office or call (828) 652-2236 to make an inquiry on an inmate in county jail. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety also provides access to information on inmates from 1972. Interested persons may use the Offender Search Registry to lookup information on inmates.
McDowell County Sheriff's Office
593 Spaulding Road,
Marion, NC 28752
What are McDowell County Court Records?
The McDowell Clerk of Court's Office is the central repository for court records in the county. McDowell court records are documents that reveal details on court proceedings including court transcripts, dockets, case files, allegations, affidavits, depositions, and final dispositions. Interested persons may apply to the McDowell Clerk of Court's Office to obtain copies of court records. The office also has a self-service terminal where individuals can search with the case number, defendant's name, victim's name, or witness' name. Requestors may use the Civil Case Processing System (VCAP) User Manual to understand how to use the self-service terminal. Court records are obtained at a fee, call (828) 652-7717 to confirm record processing fees and other requirements.
Location of all Courts in McDowell County
The contact information and addresses of the Superior and District Courts in McDowell are listed below:
McDowell County Superior Court
21 South Main Street,
Marion, NC 28752
Phone: (828) 655-4100
Fax: (828) 655-4101
McDowell County District Court
21 South Main Street,
Marion, NC 28752
Phone: (828) 655-4100
Fax: (828) 655-4101
What are McDowell County Vital Records?
McDowell county vital records are recorded, filed, compiled and preserved by the McDowell Register of Deeds. Vital records consist of records on life occurrences such as births, marriage, death, and divorce. McDowell Register of Deeds provides access to county citizens' marriage, birth, and death records. However, the McDowell Clerk of Superior Court's Office maintains and provides access to county divorce records. The Vital Records section of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) maintains vital records at the state level.
Where and How to Get McDowell County Divorce Records
Interested persons may query the McDowell Clerk of Superior Court's Office by mail or in-person to obtain copies of divorce records. Mail-in requests should be sent along with a self-addressed stamped envelope. Requestors may also use the self-service terminal to search for uncertified divorce case information at no charge. For more information on the fees for certified divorce records, call the Court Clerk on (828) 652-7717.
Clerk of Superior Court
McDowell County Courthouse
21 S. Main Street
Marion, NC 28752
Where and How to Get McDowell County Marriage Records
McDowell county marriage records are handed out and maintained by the McDowell Register of Deeds. Both parties must be present when applying for the certified copy of a marriage license. The operating hours of the McDowell Register of Deeds are from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on all working days excluding holidays. The requirements for obtaining a marriage license include:
- A valid means of identification such as a driver’s license, a current state ID, current passport, current military ID
- The social security number of both parties
- A $60 fee
McDowell County Register of Deeds
35 W Fort St.
Marion, NC 28752
Phone Number: (828) 652-4727
tonia.hampton@mcdowellgov.com
Where and How to Get McDowell County Birth Records
Requestors may obtain McDowell county birth records at the office of the Register of Deeds by sending request applications via mail or in person. The applications should include the full name of the subject of the birth record, the parent’s full name, date of birth, place of birth, and a valid photo ID. The payment of a $10.00 record processing fee and $1.00 for each certified copy is required.
McDowell County Register of Deeds
35 W Fort St.
Marion, NC 28752
Phone Number: (828) 652-4727
Fax: (828) 652-1537
Office Hours: Monday to Friday excluding holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 pm.
Applicants may also use the NC Vitals to process birth records requests.
Where and How to Get McDowell County Death Records
Persons interested in obtaining death records may apply at the office of the Register of Deeds by submitting request applications via mail or in person. The application should include the full name of the deceased, place of death, date of death, and the requestor's valid photo ID. The payment of a $10.00 record processing fee and $1.00 for each certified copy is required.
McDowell County Register of Deeds
35 W Fort St.
Marion, NC 28752
Phone Number: (828) 652-4727
Fax: (828) 652-1537
Office Hours: Monday to Friday excluding holidays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 pm.
Applicants may also use the NC Vitals to process death records requests.
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.