Court Security / Civil Process

Division Staff

The Court Security/Civil Process Division is located at the York County/City of Poquoson Courthouse. The division is comprised of 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Sergeant, 13 full-time court security deputies, and 3 civil process deputies, 1 part-time court security deputy, 1 administrative assistant and 1 part-time administrative assistant. The duties of these deputies are divided into 2 distinctive areas of responsibility; courthouse security and civil process. 

Courthouse Security Responsibilities

The bailiffs and courthouse security deputies are directly responsible for the overall security of the Courthouse, the judges, all offices and employees within the building, visiting citizens, and with maintaining order in the 4 courtrooms located in the courthouse. Their duties also include screening visitors as they enter the building, transporting and guarding prisoners who have been brought to the courthouse for hearings, serving papers issued by the courts, monitoring video cameras strategically placed throughout and around the building, and monitoring and controlling numerous security doors throughout the building. Some of these duties are carried out from a control room in a secure area of the building. 

Civil Process Responsibilities

The 3 civil process deputies are responsible for serving civil papers such as subpoenas, writs, show causes, garnishments, summonses, and warrants in debt throughout the County of York and for the City of Poquoson. They also execute evictions, levy on property,  and assist the deputies in uniform patrol with responding to calls for service when needed.
 
 The administrative assistants are responsible for entering and tracking all civil process paperwork that is received in their office. 

The civil process division averages serving over 20,000 civil papers each year. Each paper must be served in a timely manner, returned for documentation of proper service, and then returned to the office that issued it. For information regarding a civil paper, you may reach the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office Civil Division by phone at 757-890-4190.