To find Alamance County court dates, search the North Carolina Judicial Branch’s Portal at portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/Portal using a party name, case number, or citation number, and filter by Alamance County. The Portal covers every court division in the county, is free to use, and updates as case information changes.1North Carolina Judicial Branch. The North Carolina Judicial Branch
How to Search the Portal
You need at least one of three things: a party’s full name, a case number, or a citation number. Select Alamance County from the county dropdown to narrow the results.
For criminal matters, a citation or warrant number is the fastest route. It links directly to the upcoming court date and courtroom without making you sort through multiple results. The Portal also shows case status, past filings, and any future hearings that have been scheduled.
A name search works, but common names return dozens of matches. Adding a date of birth or filtering by case type helps. If all you have is a name, expect to click through a few entries before you find the right one.
Daily Court Calendars
If you want an overview of everything scheduled on a particular day rather than details on a single case, Alamance County publishes daily court calendars through the NC Judicial Branch website. Civil and criminal calendars are posted separately and organized by courtroom, judge, and time.2North Carolina Judicial Branch. Alamance County
These calendars help attorneys managing multiple hearings, or anyone confirming which courtroom a case is assigned to on a given day. The tradeoff is that daily calendars are snapshots. They don’t always reflect last-minute continuances the way a direct Portal lookup does. If your date is more than a few days out, check the Portal for the most current information.
Which Division Your Case Is In
Where you actually appear depends on the type of case. Superior Court hears felony criminal cases and civil lawsuits over $25,000.3North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 7A-271 – Criminal Jurisdiction of Superior Court District Court handles misdemeanors, infractions, civil cases of $25,000 or less, and all domestic and juvenile matters.4North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 7A-243 – Proper Division for Trial of Civil Actions Magistrate court, which hears small claims up to $10,000 depending on local rules, sits within the District Court division.5North Carolina Judicial Branch. Small Claims The Portal entry for your case will tell you which division you’re in.
Where Court Is Held
Proceedings take place at the courthouse complex in Graham. Civil, domestic, and probate matters are heard at the Alamance County Historical Courthouse, 1 Court Square, Graham, NC 27253.6North Carolina Judicial Branch. Alamance County Historical Courthouse Criminal matters for both District and Superior Court are heard at the J.B. Allen Jr. Criminal Courthouse on West Elm Street.
For questions about a court date, filing, or case status, call the Alamance County Clerk of Superior Court at (336) 570-5200. The Clerk’s office is the central administrative hub for all court records in the county and can confirm a scheduled appearance or explain the status of a pending case.7North Carolina Judicial Branch. Alamance County Contact Directory
If You Cannot Make Your Court Date
If you know ahead of time that you cannot appear, request a continuance before the date arrives. A continuance is a request to reschedule your hearing. It is not automatically granted.
File the request in writing with the Clerk of Superior Court and serve it on the opposing party or their attorney. In criminal cases, judges weigh whether denying the request would likely result in a miscarriage of justice, whether the complexity of the case requires more preparation time, and, in cases involving physical or sexual abuse of a child under 16, whether further delay would harm the child’s well-being.8North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 15A-952 – Motions Practice in Superior and District Court Practical reasons like a medical emergency, a conflict with another court, or the sudden unavailability of your attorney are the most commonly accepted grounds. Wanting more time to prepare or simply being inconvenienced is unlikely to persuade a judge.
File as early as possible. Waiting until the day before signals that the request is about delay rather than genuine need. If the motion is denied, you have to appear on the original date. Failing to appear after a denied continuance carries the same penalties as any other missed hearing.
Remote Appearances
North Carolina courts allow remote hearings in certain situations under G.S. 7A-49.6. Whether you can appear remotely depends on the type of case and the judge’s discretion. The NC Judicial Branch publishes a standardized motion form for requesting a fully remote or hybrid hearing on its forms page.9North Carolina Judicial Branch. Motion For Fully Remote Hearing/Hybrid Remote Hearing And Order On Motion
If your request is approved, you’ll typically join by video through Zoom or a similar platform. The court expects the same formality as an in-person appearance: dress as you would for the courtroom, join from a quiet location, and keep your camera on throughout. Test your equipment the day before, use a headset rather than your laptop’s built-in microphone, and stay plugged in rather than relying on battery. Technical problems during the hearing are not treated as an excuse. If the judge cannot see or hear you, the court may treat it as a failure to appear.
What Happens If You Miss Court
Missing a court date in Alamance County has consequences that go well beyond rescheduling.
Failure to Appear as a Separate Charge
If you were released on bond or on your own recognizance and willfully fail to show, North Carolina treats the failure to appear as a separate criminal offense. If the underlying charge was a felony, the failure to appear is a Class I felony. If you were charged with a misdemeanor, the failure to appear is a Class 2 misdemeanor.10North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 15A-543 – Penalties for Failure to Appear Skipping court on a felony adds an entirely new felony to your record.
The judge will also issue an order for arrest, which functions like a bench warrant. Law enforcement enters it into their databases, and it stays active indefinitely. The next contact you have with police, you go to jail. Any bond you posted is forfeited, and a second bond after a failure to appear is typically more expensive and harder to secure.
Driver’s License Revocation
If the case involves a motor vehicle offense, missing court triggers an automatic driver’s license revocation through the NC Division of Motor Vehicles. The revocation takes effect 60 days after the DMV mails or delivers the order.11North Carolina General Assembly. North Carolina Code 20-24.1 – Revocation for Failure to Appear or Pay Fine, Penalty or Costs for Motor Vehicle Offenses Your license stays revoked until you return to court and resolve the underlying charge or show you are not the person charged. For a ticket that might have carried a small fine, losing your license for months is a steep price for missing one hearing.