Accessing Public Records for a Family Law Case
911 records can be valuable exhibits for the court in your case, whether that is custody, domestic violence, or anything else related. Here are ways to obtain a redacted form of the records on your own:
To request 911 records in Greensboro, North Carolina, you’ll need to provide specific information depending on the type of record you’re seeking:
- For a CAD report (Computer-Aided Dispatch report) for a particular incident, you must provide the local event ID number. If you don’t have the event ID, you can give the date and time of the incident, the street address or approximate location (with nearest cross streets or businesses), and the nature of the incident (e.g., traffic accident, suspicious activity).
- If you need a list of events (911 call history) for a specific location, include the date range (start and end dates) and either the street address, main street with cross streets, street name without block numbers, or the business name with its location.
Keep in mind that they cannot search for personal names or telephone numbers, and 911 audio recordings are purged after sixty days to protect caller, victim, or witness information.
In general, public records in North Carolina, including 911 records, are defined by NCGS 132-1 as documents, papers, and other materials made or received by government agencies in connection with public business.
The City’s public records request policy is to comply with all requests according to the law, and you can make requests on their public records request website. You can also request records via email or mail to the Public Records Requests Administrator at Greensboro Central Library.
While North Carolina law allows access to public records, it does not require public agencies to create records that do not already exist or engage in research, analysis, or answering questions.
The Public Records Requests Administrator is the primary contact for all requests, reachable at 336-373-3636 or by email.
North Carolina’s Public Records law does not specify a response time, but they aim to respond promptly within five business days and will contact you if it takes longer. You can check the status of your request on their website.
In most cases, public records are provided electronically via email at no cost.
You have the right to ask for public records without disclosing your purpose, as they are considered the property of the people. However, certain types of records, such as criminal investigations or personnel records, may be exempt from disclosure under specific laws.
If you have questions or need further information, you can contact the Public Records Requests Administrator via email or at 336-373-3636.
In the event you obtain records, please provide them to your attorney, as they will know best how to utilize them in your case.