Beverly, Ohio Public Records

For felony criminal cases, civil cases exceeding municipal court limits, domestic relations matters (divorce, dissolution, child custody, child support), probate matters (estates, guardianships, wills), and juvenile cases, residents must use the Washington County Court of Common Pleas, located at 205 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 373-6623. The Common Pleas Court maintains separate divisions for general civil and criminal matters, domestic relations, probate, and juvenile cases. Ohio courts participate in the state's online case search system available through the Ohio Supreme Court's Public Access system, though Washington County also maintains local online dockets accessible through the Clerk of Courts website. To search court records, residents can visit the Washington County Clerk of Courts office at 205 Putnam Street, second floor, Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 373-6623, or use online search portals. Certified copies of court documents typically cost $2.00 for the first page and $0.25 for each additional page, plus a $1.00 certification fee. Record searches may be conducted free of charge in person or online, though extensive research requests may incur hourly fees.

The Auditor's website at www.washingtoncountyauditor.org offers a free online property search tool where users can search by parcel number, owner name, or property address to view current assessed values, tax district information, property transfers, and parcel maps. The Washington County Recorder's Office, located at 205 Putnam Street, Room G-10, Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 373-3068, website www.washingtoncorecorder.com, is responsible for recording and maintaining official land records including deeds, mortgages, liens, easements, rights-of-way, military discharges, and other documents affecting real property. The Recorder's Office provides free online access to recorded documents through their website, allowing users to search by grantor/grantee name, document type, book and page, or parcel number. Images of recorded documents are available for free viewing online, though certified copies require payment and can be requested in person or by mail. Washington County also maintains a GIS mapping system accessible through the Auditor's website, providing interactive parcel maps, aerial photography, zoning overlays, and flood zone information. Property searches can be conducted by street address, owner name, or parcel identification number, with full parcel detail sheets available showing ownership history, sales history, building characteristics, and tax information.

Small businesses in Beverly include local retail shops, restaurants, and service providers catering to the village's small population and tourists visiting the historic district. Agriculture remains significant in the surrounding Waterford Township, with family farms producing corn, soybeans, hay, and livestock. Many Beverly residents work in Marietta's diverse economy, which includes healthcare (Marietta Memorial Hospital), education (Marietta College, Washington State Community College), manufacturing (oil and gas industry suppliers, Eramet Marietta), and retail. Washington County's economy has historically been tied to oil and gas production, with recent growth in the Marcellus and Utica shale development bringing new employment in drilling, pipelines, and related services. The estimated median household income in Beverly is approximately $45,000-$55,000, somewhat below the Washington County median. Beverly's economic character is that of a quiet historic village preserving its 18th and 19th-century heritage while serving as a residential community for workers employed elsewhere in the county. Tourism related to Beverly's historic architecture provides supplemental economic activity, particularly during events and festivals that draw visitors interested in early Ohio history.

Beverly, Ohio does not maintain its own municipal police department; law enforcement services for the village are provided by the Washington County Sheriff's Office, located at 220 Muskingum Drive, Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 376-7070, website www.washingtoncountysheriff.org. The Sheriff's Office has jurisdiction over unincorporated areas of Washington County and provides primary law enforcement coverage for Beverly and surrounding communities. Residents can request police reports, incident reports, and crash reports by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly either in person or by submitting a written request under Ohio's public records law. For arrests and jail bookings in Washington County, the Washington County Sheriff's Office maintains an online inmate roster accessible through their website, which typically includes booking photographs, charges, bond amounts, booking dates, and expected release dates. The Washington County Jail, located at the same address as the Sheriff's Office, houses arrestees and sentenced inmates. Ohio public records law is governed by Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43, which establishes that public records shall be promptly prepared and made available for inspection to any person. Law enforcement agencies must respond to public records requests within a reasonable period of time, and while some records related to ongoing investigations or confidential informants may be exempt, most arrest logs, incident reports, and booking records are publicly accessible. Requesters may be charged reasonable copying costs but cannot be denied access simply for refusing to state a reason for the request.

Processing time is typically 4-6 weeks by mail, or records can be ordered online through VitalChek for expedited service with additional fees. Ohio birth records are available from December 20, 1908 to the present, and death records from December 20, 1908 to the present. Only eligible persons (the registrant, parents, legal guardian, legal representative, or someone with a court order) can obtain certified copies of birth certificates. Washington County residents can also obtain certified copies of vital records through the Washington County Health Department, 401 Matthew Street, Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 374-2782, which serves as a local deputy registrar. Marriage licenses are issued by the Washington County Probate Court, located at 205 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 373-6623 ext. 4531. The marriage license fee is $60.00, and there is no waiting period in Ohio. Marriage records are public records and can be searched through the Probate Court. Divorce records are maintained by the Domestic Relations Division of the Washington County Court of Common Pleas at the same address, and certified copies can be obtained from the Clerk of Courts for the standard copying fee plus certification.

For formal business entity formation and registration, businesses must file with the Ohio Secretary of State. The Ohio Secretary of State Business Services Division maintains the state's business entity database, accessible at www.businessearch.ohiosos.gov, where users can search for corporations, limited liability companies (LLCs), limited partnerships, and other registered business entities. The searchable database provides information on entity status (active, dissolved, cancelled), registered agent, business address, filing date, and officer/member names for most entity types. New business formation can be completed online through the Ohio Business Central portal. Fictitious name (DBA – "doing business as") registrations in Ohio are filed with the county, so Beverly businesses operating under an assumed name must file with the Washington County Clerk of Courts. Unified Commercial Code (UCC) filings for secured transactions and liens are filed with the Ohio Secretary of State and searchable through their UCC search portal. Business personal property tax is assessed by the Washington County Auditor; business owners must file annual personal property declarations listing furniture, fixtures, equipment, and inventory. Commercial real estate assessments are also handled by the County Auditor's office and searchable through the same online property database used for residential properties.

Beverly, Ohio voters are served by the Washington County Board of Elections, located at 218 Putnam Street, Marietta, OH 45750, phone (740) 374-5514, website www.washingtoncountyboe.com. Ohio residents can register to vote online through the Ohio Secretary of State's website at https://olvr.ohiosos.gov, and registration must be completed at least 30 days before an election. Voters need to provide their Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Beverly, as an incorporated village, holds municipal elections for mayor and village council members; these elections typically occur in odd-numbered years in November. The next Beverly municipal election is scheduled for November 2025, when voters will elect village council members and potentially the mayor depending on term schedules. Voters can verify their polling place by using the polling location lookup tool on the Washington County Board of Elections website or the Ohio Secretary of State's website, or by calling the Board of Elections directly. Ohio election records that are publicly accessible include voter registration lists (with certain personal information redacted), campaign finance reports filed by candidates and political action committees, candidate petition filings, and precinct-level election results. In the November 2024 presidential election, Washington County saw approximately 58-62% voter turnout, with over 25,000 ballots cast in a county with roughly 43,000 registered voters. For the November 3, 2026 general election, Beverly and Washington County voters will decide several important races: Ohio will have a gubernatorial election (Governor and Lieutenant Governor), elections for all Ohio House of Representatives seats (Beverly is in District 95), potentially state senate races depending on district rotation, county-level offices including County Commissioner, Sheriff, Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder, and Clerk of Courts, as well as any local school board and village council races if scheduled. While no U.S. Senate seat from Ohio is up in 2026, voters will elect their U.S. Representative (Beverly is in Ohio's 6th Congressional District). Ohio offers absentee voting by mail; voters can request an absentee ballot application from the Washington County Board of Elections or download it from the Secretary of State's website, and completed applications must be received by the Saturday before Election Day, with ballots due by 7:30 PM on Election Day.