Clark County Court Records Search
OhioCourts.us is not a consumer reporting agency as defined by the FCRA and does not provide consumer reports. All searches conducted on OhioCourts.us are subject to the Terms of Service and Privacy Notice.
Clark County is situated in western Ohio with Springfield as its county seat. The county’s court system centers on the Court of Common Pleas, which operates through a General Division, a Domestic Relations Division, and a Probate Division, alongside the Clark County Municipal Court. Together, these courts generate and maintain records for felony and misdemeanor criminal cases, civil litigation, family law proceedings, estate administration, traffic matters, and small claims disputes.
For anyone seeking court records in Ohio, several official channels are available including clerk of courts offices, online case-search portals, and in-person public-access terminals. The Ohio Rules of Superintendence for the Courts define court records broadly as all case and administrative documents regardless of physical form — encompassing pleadings, docket entries, orders, judgments, motions, and exhibits. Ohio’s statewide judicial system, which can be explored through OhioCourts.us, provides context for how county-level courts operate and where publicly available case information may be found.
How to Look Up a Court Case in Clark County?
Clark County offers multiple pathways for locating court records: online databases maintained by the individual courts, in-person visits to clerk offices, and written requests by mail.
Online Case Search — Court of Common Pleas
The Clark County Clerk of Courts maintains the CourtView Search portal for the Court of Common Pleas. This tool covers the General Division (civil and criminal felony cases), the Domestic Relations Division, and appellate filings. Users can search by party name, case number, or case type. A dropdown menu allows filtering by category such as “Divorce”, “Dissolution”, or specific civil and criminal designations. The online database reflects docket entries updated nightly and covers records from approximately 1990 forward. For older records, contact the Clerk of Courts directly. E-filing inquiries can be directed to clerk@clarkcountyohio.gov.
Online Case Search — Municipal Court
The Clark County Municipal Court operates a separate Case Search and Inquiry tool. This portal allows searches across traffic, criminal, and civil case types. Available search parameters include:
- Last name, first name, or business name
- Year, case number, and count number
- Social Security number
- Citation number
- Driver’s license number
- License plate number
Online Case Search — Probate Court
The Clark County Probate Court maintains its own Case Search tool for probate cases, marriages, births, and deaths. Searches can be conducted by name or case number, with filtering options by case type and filing date.
In-Person Access
All three court offices accept walk-in record requests during business hours. Staff can assist with name and case-number searches using internal systems. Copies are provided upon payment of applicable fees.
Mail Requests
Written requests should include as much identifying information as possible — party names, approximate case dates, case type, and any known case numbers. Include a check or money order for applicable copy fees. Mail requests for Common Pleas records go to the Clerk of Courts; Probate Court requests go directly to the Probate Court at their respective addresses below.
Court Locations and Contact Information
| Court | Address | Phone | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clerk of Courts (Common Pleas) | 101 N Limestone St, 2nd Floor, Springfield, OH 45502 | (937) 521-1680 | Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM |
| Clark County Municipal Court | 50 E Columbia St, Springfield, OH 45502 | (937) 328-3726 (Clerk); Toll-Free (800) 544-1694 | Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM |
| Clark County Probate Court | 50 E Columbia St, 5th Floor, Springfield, OH 45502 | (937) 521-1845; Fax: (937) 328-2589 | Mon–Fri, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM |
The Clark County Probate Court can also be reached by email at probate@clarkcountyohio.gov. The Second District Court of Appeals, which hears appeals from Clark County trial courts, is located at 41 N Perry St, 5th Floor, Dayton, OH 45422 and can be contacted at (937) 225-4464.
Are Court Records Public in Clark County?
Ohio law creates a strong presumption of public access to court records. The Ohio Public Records Act and Rule 45 of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio require courts and clerk offices to make records available for inspection and copying upon request, subject to applicable fees and specific statutory exceptions.
In Clark County, the Clerk of Courts and the Municipal Court Clerk serve as the primary custodians of court records and facilitate public access both online and in person. Publicly accessible information typically includes case status, filing dates, party names, docket entries, hearing schedules, charge information, fines and costs, and judicial rulings.
Records That Are Not Publicly Available
Certain categories of court documents are restricted from public inspection under Ohio law and court rules:
- Juvenile court records
- Guardian ad litem reports
- Home investigation reports and asset appraisals
- Child custody evaluations and reports
- Domestic violence risk assessments
- Supervised parenting-time records
- Financial disclosure statements filed in domestic cases
- Health care documents including psychological, psychiatric, and counseling records
- Drug and alcohol use assessments and treatment-facility reports
- Draft notes, recommendations, and research of judicial officers and court staff
- Court security plans and security review documents
- Personal identifiers including Social Security numbers (beyond the last four digits), financial account numbers, and juveniles’ names in abuse, neglect, or dependency cases
- Software and administrative records used for court information management
These restrictions apply whether the request is made online, in person, or by mail. Records that have been sealed or expunged by court order will not appear in public searches.
Clark County Criminal Court Records
Criminal case records in Clark County are divided between two courts based on the severity of the offense. Felony cases are filed and maintained by the Clerk of Courts at the Court of Common Pleas, General Division. Misdemeanor and traffic cases, as well as preliminary hearings on felony charges, are handled by the Clark County Municipal Court’s criminal and traffic division.
Searching Criminal Records Online
- For felony cases, use the CourtView Search portal on the Clerk of Courts website. Select the criminal case type or enter the defendant’s name or case number.
- For misdemeanors and traffic offenses, use the Municipal Court’s Case Search and Inquiry tool. Select the “Criminal” or “Traffic” checkbox and enter a name, case number, citation number, or driver’s license number.
Both systems display docket entries, charge information, hearing dates, and disposition details.
Criminal Filing and Expungement Fees (Clerk of Courts)
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Expungement filing | $50.00 |
| Motion for immediate relief from community notification (in-county conviction) | $50.00 |
| Motion for immediate relief from community notification (out-of-county conviction) | $105.00 |
Background Checks Through the Sheriff’s Office
The Clark County Sheriff’s Office operates a WebCheck program for civilian background checks through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI&I). The service is provided at the east district office:
Clark County Sheriff’s Office — East District
Address: 3130 East Main Street, Springfield, OH 45503
Phone: (937) 521-2114
WebCheck fees (credit card only; no cash or personal checks):
- Ohio-only criminal history check: $35.00
- Ohio plus FBI criminal history check: $70.00
Results are typically returned within three days. The report indicates whether a criminal history exists but does not detail the nature of the offenses; the results are sent directly to the requesting agency’s designated contact person. A photo ID, the sending agency’s name and address, and the contact person’s information are required.
Arrest and Custody Information
The Sheriff’s Office maintains a Who is in Custody portal where current incarceration records can be viewed. The main Sheriff’s Office is located at:
Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Address: 120 N Fountain Ave, Springfield, OH 45502
Phone: (937) 521-2050
Fax: (937) 328-2515
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Clark County Civil Court Records
Civil cases in Clark County are distributed between the Court of Common Pleas (General Division) and the Municipal Court based on the claim amount and subject matter. The General Division handles civil matters including non-foreclosure cases, foreclosures, and appeals, while the Municipal Court’s civil division hears cases involving claims up to $15,000, small claims up to $6,000, eviction actions, landlord-tenant disputes, and license-suspension appeals.
Clerk of Courts — Common Pleas Civil Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| New civil case (non-foreclosure) | $325.00 |
| New foreclosure | $620.00 |
| New special case | $105.00 |
| Cross-claim / counterclaim | $100.00 each |
| Third-party / intervenor complaint | $125.00 |
| Additional service per person/address | $20.00 |
| Jury demand | $500.00 |
| Amended complaint | $1.00 per page |
| Certificate of judgment | $5.00 |
| Filing certificate of judgment | $35.00 |
| Foreign certificate of judgment | $145.00 |
| Garnishment | $75.00 |
| Debtor’s exam | $135.00 |
| Aid of execution | $251.00 |
| Request for order of sale | $550.00 |
| Writ of possession | $125.00 |
Certified copies of civil court records from the Clerk of Courts cost $1.00 per page. The full current court costs schedule is available on the Clark County website.
Municipal Court Civil Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| New civil complaint | $115.00 |
| Small claims complaint | $55.00 |
| Garnishment of wages | $100.00 |
| Garnishment of other than wages | $25.00 |
| Jury trial | $10.00 (plus $500 advance deposit) |
| Subpoena | $10.00 each |
| Transcript for appeal | $25.00 |
The full Municipal Court cost schedule details additional fees for alias service, cross-complaints, and post-judgment filings.
Property Records
Property-related court records such as judgment liens and tax liens are filed with the Clerk of Courts Civil Department. Property ownership, valuation, and tax records can be searched through the Clark County Auditor’s Office at 31 N Limestone St, Springfield, OH 45502 (phone: (937) 521-1860). Deed and title records are maintained by the Clark County Recorder at the same address (phone: (937) 521-1705) and can be searched online through the Official Record Search portal.
Clark County Family Court Records
The Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division handles divorce, dissolution of marriage, legal separation, annulment, allocation of parental rights and responsibilities, spousal support, and Civil Protection Orders. The Clerk of Courts maintains all filings for this division.
Domestic Relations Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Divorce / legal separation / annulment | $400.00 |
| Dissolution of marriage | $350.00 |
| Post-decree motion | $250.00 |
| Answer / counterclaim / cross-claim | $150.00 |
| Foreign decree | $250.00 |
| Intervenor’s complaint / motion to intervene | $150.00 |
| Amended complaint | $1.00 per page |
| Additional service per person/address | $20.00 |
Guidelines for filing a dissolution of marriage are available as a downloadable PDF from the Clerk of Courts website, along with fillable and printable subpoena forms.
Civil Protection Orders
Civil Protection Order (CPO) forms — including Domestic Violence Protection Order packets, Dating CPO packets, and Civil Stalking Order packets — are filed at the Clark County Title Office in the A.B. Graham Building, 55 East Columbia Street, Springfield, OH 45502.
Marriage Records
Marriage licenses and records are maintained by the Clark County Probate Court. Records dating from 1818 are available in various formats — bound volumes (1818–1865), card indexes (1866–1991), and computerized records (1992–present). The Probate Court’s online Case Search tool allows users to locate marriage records by checking the “Marriage” box and entering names. Certified copy fees for marriage certificates are $5.00 for the first copy and $2.00 for additional copies (pre-1991 records) or $2.00 per copy (records from 1991 forward).
Birth and Death Records
Birth and death records from 1867 through August 1908 are available from the Probate Court at a cost of $6.00 per copy. Records from 1908 to the present are maintained by the Clark County Combined Health District:
Clark County Combined Health District
Address: 529 E Home Road, Springfield, OH 45503
Phone: (937) 390-5600
Fax: (937) 342-5503
Email: vitalstatistics@ccchd.com
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Certified copies of birth abstracts and death certificates cost $24.00 each. Requests may be submitted in person, online through VitalChek (additional processing fees apply), or by mail using the Birth Abstract Request Form or Death Certificate Request Form with a cashier’s check or money order payable to CCCHD.
Divorce Records
Divorce records through 1990 can be located at the Clark County Courthouse. Records after 1990 are available through the Common Pleas Court Clerk’s Office at (937) 521-1680. Online searches are possible through the CourtView Search portal by selecting “Divorce” from the case-type dropdown.
Clark County Probate Court Records
The Clark County Probate Court exercises jurisdiction over estate administration, wills, trusts, guardianships, conservatorships, adoptions, name changes, and related matters. Judge Richard P. Carey serves as both Judge and Clerk of the Probate Court, meaning the court directly manages its own records and filings. All probate practice is restricted by law to attorneys licensed by the Supreme Court of Ohio, and court employees are prohibited from providing legal advice or assisting with document preparation.
Probate Court Filing Fees
| Filing Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| Full estate administration | $150.00 |
| Release of administration (under $25,000) | $68.00 |
| Release of administration (over $25,000) | $108.00 |
| Summary release | $68.00 |
| Will probated only | $48.00 |
| Wrongful death action (after initial full fee) | $20.00 |
| Reopening full administration | $56.00 |
| Reopening release of administration | $50.00 |
| Estate claims | $10.00 |
| Private adoption | $154.00 |
| Step-parent, agency, or grandparent adoption | $154.00 ($94.00 for second child) |
| Foreign or adult adoption | $146.00 |
| Adult or minor name change | $89.00 ($70.00 additional family members) |
| Guardianship — person only | $184.00 |
| Guardianship — person and estate | $200.00 |
| Emergency guardianship | $104.00 |
| Minor guardianship — person only | $89.00 |
| Minor guardianship — person and estate | $104.00 |
| Conservatorship | $150.00 |
| Testamentary or inter vivos trust | $120.00 |
| Will contest | $120.00 |
| All other civil complaints | $120.00 |
The complete Court Costs schedule is published on the Probate Court’s website. Copies of probate records cost $0.25 per page, with an additional $3.00 retrieval fee for closed files. The Probate Court’s Forms and Services page provides downloadable forms organized by service area, including estates, guardianships, adoptions, name changes, and marriage applications. The Supreme Court of Ohio also publishes standardized probate forms that may be filed in local courts.
Searching Probate Records
The Probate Court’s online Case Search tool allows the public to search probate filings by name or case number, with options to filter by case type and filing date. Original estate files from 1818 through 1985 are stored at the Clark County Historical Society, though microfilm copies are available at the Probate Court. Records from 1985 forward are accessible through microfilm and scanned digital images. For genealogical research questions, contact the Probate Clerk at (937) 521-1846.