Va. Code » Title 17.1. Courts of Record » Chapter 2. Clerks, Clerks' Offices and Records » Article 3. Records, Recordation and Indexing Generally
Virginia Code

Va. Code Ann. § 17.1-242 (2026)

Custody of books, records, etc

✓ current as of May 2026
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The circuit court clerks shall have custody of and shall keep all court records, including books, evidence, records, maps, and papers, deposited in their offices or at such location otherwise designated by the clerk, as well as records stored in electronic format whether the storage media for such electronic records are on premises or elsewhere.

Code 1919, § 3400, § 17-72; 1998, c. 872; 2001, c. 497; 2014, c. 460.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 5 cases (3 in the last 5 years), 2014–2025 · leading case: Daily Press, LLC v. Off. of the Exec. Sec'y of the Supreme Court of Va., 800 S.E.2d 822 (Va. 2017).
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Daily Press, LLC v. Off. of the Exec. Sec'y of the Supreme Court of Va., 800 S.E.2d 822 (Va. 2017). · cites it 22× “" The Executive Secretary and the court clerks point to Code § 17.1-242 to argue that the clerks of court are the designated custodians of court records.”
Justin P. Wilson, Jr. v. Paul F. Ferguson, Clerk of the Circuit Court for Arlington (Va. Ct. App. 2025). · cites it 7× “At hearing, the court found that, under Code § 17.1-242, “if those . . . records and stuff are stored with the clerk, as long as they have been designated by the clerk, would have to be turned over.”
Courthouse News Serv. v. Hade (E.D. Va. 2022). · cites it 3× “” Va. Code § 17.1-242. In all Virginia circuit courts, clerks provide the public with access to these court records at the physical courthouse.”
Courthouse News Serv. v. Hade (E.D. Va. 2022). · cites it 3× “’ (Joint Stipulation of Facts (hereinafter, “JSF”) § 24.) Beyond access at the courthouse, some circuit courts provide access to civil court records remotely, via the internet, on a system called “Virginia Officer of the Court Remote Access” (“OCRA”).”
Spencer Lee Ford, Jr. v. Commonwealth of Virginia (Va. Ct. App. 2014). · cites it 2× “” See Code § 17.1-242. Based on this amendment, the circuit court clerk clearly has a statutory duty to maintain “court records, including .”
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