Clerk of Court Office

Clerk of Court Office

Clerk of Court, Merlee Austin merlee.t.austin@nccourts.org

The Clerk of Court office does all the legal work for Dare County including court documents, estates, and child support. This office is also responsible for all clerical and record-keeping functions of Superior and District Courts.

The North Carolina court system consists of an Appellate Division, a Superior Court Division and District Court Division. A chief justice and 6 associate judges, elected for 8 year terms, serve on the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals is served by a chief judge and 11 associate judges elected for 8-year terms.

Dare County is served by 2 Superior Court judges elected for 8-year terms and 5 District Court judges who are elected for 4-year terms. Superior Court judges rotate throughout the state and District Court judges rotate throughout their division and district.

Dare County in in the 1st judicial district of the 1st division, which has 7 counties. Only persons qualified to practice law in North Carolina are eligible for election or appointment to any of these courts.

The Clerk of Court is under the direction of Merlee Austin.

Dare County Justice Center
962 Marshall C Collins Drive
Manteo NC 27954

Phone: (252)475-5200
Fax: (252)473-1620