Ohio, court records

Ohio Court Records

Ohio trial court records are kept by each county's clerk of courts; the Supreme Court of Ohio lists every trial court by county. Supreme Court cases are in its public docket, federal cases in PACER.

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Official Ohio court record sources

Every card below goes to the government office responsible for that record. Use the category buttons to narrow the list.

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Showing 11 official sources

Official

Court records

Ohio Court of Claims

Ohio Court of Claims, which hears claims for money damages against the state and appeals of crime victims compensation decisions.

Court recordsohiocourtofclaims.gov
Open official site Ohio Court of Claims
Official

Court records

Ohio Courts of Appeals

Ohio's district courts of appeals by district, with each court's counties, contact address, local rules and online opinions.

Court recordssupremecourt.ohio.gov
Open official site Ohio Courts of Appeals
Official

Court records

Court Forms

Supreme Court of Ohio court forms by category. The forms come without instructions or legal advice.

Court recordssupremecourt.ohio.gov
Open official site Court Forms
Official

Court records

Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules

Ohio's official online publication of state law: the Ohio Constitution, the Ohio Revised Code and the Ohio Administrative Code.

Court recordscodes.ohio.gov
Open official site Ohio Laws and Administrative Rules
Official

Court records

Ohio Trial Courts

Find Ohio trial courts by county, from courts of common pleas to municipal and county courts, with each court's local rules.

Court recordssupremecourt.ohio.gov
Open official site Ohio Trial Courts
Official

Police & jail

Ohio Crime Victims Compensation

Ohio Crime Victims Compensation Program, a state program for innocent victims of violent crime, explained on the Court of Claims site.

Court recordsohiocourtofclaims.gov
Open official site Ohio Crime Victims Compensation
Official

Court records

PACER, federal court records

Federal district, bankruptcy and appeals court records online. A PACER account is needed; documents cost $0.10 per page, capped at $3 per document.

Federalpacer.uscourts.gov
Open official site PACER, federal court records

Guide

How to search Ohio court cases

Ohio trial court cases are searched through the clerk of courts in the county where the case was filed; the Supreme Court of Ohio lists every court of common pleas, municipal and county court by county with its local rules.

Cases before the Supreme Court of Ohio are in its public docket, and the Court of Claims hears money claims against the state.

Guide

Divorce files in Ohio: contents and access

Ohio divorces and dissolutions are Court of Common Pleas cases, kept by the county Clerk of Courts. Sup.R. 11.10, formerly Sup.R. 45(A) before the July 1, 2026 renumbering, presumes court records open, and Sup.R. 11.09(C)(2)(h), formerly Sup.R. 44(C)(2)(h) and effective January 1, 2016, removes from public access the financial disclosure statements regarding property, debt, taxes, income and expenses with their source documents, asset appraisals, health care documents and custody evaluations in domestic relations cases. Affidavit 1 and Affidavit 2, the Supreme Court's sworn income and property forms, are therefore confidential, while the complaint or petition, the judgment entry and decree of divorce, the decree of dissolution and the separation agreement remain public.

Each Clerk of Courts has its own case search, and the public reads the file at the clerk's counter under Sup.R. 11.11, formerly Sup.R. 45(B), paying actual costs for copies. Sealing a public document requires a written motion and clear and convincing evidence of a higher interest under Sup.R. 11.14(A), formerly Sup.R. 45(E). The Ohio asset search page explains what the decree and separation agreement still show.

Record guide

About Ohio court record sources

At a glance

Ohio Court Records

State
Ohio
Official sources
11
Court records
9
Federal
2
Links checked
Sep. 22, 2026

Using these court record sources

More Ohio records on this site: Ohio public records, Free Background Checks.

Straight answers

Ohio court record questions

Open only the answer you need.

Are court records free?

State court records are usually free to view at the courthouse and often free online, with per-page fees for certified copies. PACER charges $0.10 per page (capped at $3.00 per document), waived under $30 per quarter.

Do sealed cases show up?

No. A sealed case is hidden from the public docket index by court order. Its existence may still be confirmable by number, but documents are not accessible.

What's the difference between civil and criminal court records?

Civil cases involve disputes between parties (contracts, torts, family). Criminal cases are brought by the government. Both are indexed by the same court clerks but tracked in separate sub-dockets.

Can I search every court at once?

Not in one search. PACER covers all federal courts. Most states have a statewide judiciary portal that covers their state courts, but a few require per-county lookups. This page links to Ohio's official portal.