Ohio criminal records start with the county and court level
Ohio does not provide one public statewide trial-court name search that replaces all local court systems. Felony cases are generally filed in a county Court of Common Pleas, misdemeanors and preliminary felony proceedings can be handled in Municipal or County Courts, Mayor’s Courts handle certain local ordinance and traffic matters, arrest and jail data are maintained locally, and fingerprint-based criminal-history records are maintained by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Ohio criminal records are spread across several court levels
The first step is deciding what type of case you are looking for. Ohio’s court system is decentralized, so the same person’s criminal history can appear in more than one court or agency.
Felony criminal cases
Every Ohio county has a Court of Common Pleas. Its General Division handles criminal cases beyond the minor-offense jurisdiction of lower trial courts.
Misdemeanors and early felony proceedings
Municipal and County Courts handle traffic and non-traffic misdemeanors and can conduct preliminary proceedings in felony cases.
Local ordinance / traffic matters
Some Ohio municipalities still operate Mayor’s Courts. These are not part of the judicial branch and are not courts of record.
Intermediate criminal appeals
Ohio has 12 appellate districts reviewing judgments from Common Pleas, Municipal and County Courts.
State’s highest court
The Supreme Court maintains its own searchable docket. It is not a replacement for local trial-court searches.
History and corrections records
BCI maintains Ohio computerized criminal-history records, while ODRC maintains information about state inmates and people under Adult Parole Authority supervision.
How to search Ohio criminal court records step by step
The Supreme Court of Ohio maintains an official Ohio Trial Courts & Local Rules directory that lets users identify the Common Pleas, Municipal and County Courts serving each county.
Identify the county
Start with the county where the alleged offense, arrest or court case occurred. Do not assume the person’s home county is the filing county.
Determine felony vs. misdemeanor / traffic
Felony cases generally belong in the Common Pleas General Division. Misdemeanor or traffic matters may belong in a Municipal or County Court.
Use the Supreme Court’s official court directory
Select the county and identify every relevant trial court rather than guessing from a city name.
Open that court or Clerk of Courts case search
Search by case number when available. Otherwise use the defendant’s legal name and DOB when the local system supports it.
Review the docket and disposition
Check the charge, plea, dismissal, conviction, sentencing entry and later appellate activity.
Contact the clerk when online access is incomplete
Ohio court systems differ. A document can exist at the courthouse even when it is not remotely available.
Ohio felony records: Court of Common Pleas
Ohio has a Court of Common Pleas in each of its 88 counties. For ordinary adult felony research, the General Division is usually the central trial-court source.
The local Clerk of Courts normally maintains the docket and filed criminal case documents. Online systems vary substantially by county: some provide detailed docket images, some provide only case data, and some require in-person contact for particular records.
Ohio misdemeanor and traffic records: Municipal and County Courts
Municipal and County Courts have similar subject-matter jurisdiction for many criminal matters. They hear non-traffic misdemeanors, traffic cases and can handle initial or preliminary proceedings in felony matters before a felony proceeds to Common Pleas Court.
May stay in the lower court
A misdemeanor can remain in the Municipal or County Court through plea, trial and sentencing.
May begin there but move
A felony arrest may first produce a lower-court appearance before the felony case is indicted and assigned a Common Pleas case number.
Ohio Mayor’s Courts: an easy record source to overlook
Ohio is unusual because some municipalities operate Mayor’s Courts. The Supreme Court of Ohio explains that Mayor’s Courts are not part of Ohio’s judicial branch and are not courts of record.
In eligible municipalities without a Municipal Court, a Mayor’s Court can hear violations of local ordinances and state traffic laws.
A person convicted in a Mayor’s Court can appeal to the Municipal or County Court having jurisdiction.
Search Ohio Mayor’s CourtsExamples of major Ohio county criminal case portals
Ohio does not force every county into one public interface. These examples show why the statewide workflow begins with the correct county clerk.
| County | Official access point | Useful local detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cuyahoga | Clerk of Courts Case Search | Provides criminal searches by case or defendant name; clerk warns online data is not a substitute for the official file. |
| Franklin | Case Information Online | Common Pleas criminal information is searchable through the Clerk’s CIO system. |
| Hamilton | Criminal & Traffic Name Search | Name searches can include DOB; the Clerk says formal background checks are available in person. |
| Summit | Summit Clerk Case Search | Choose the Criminal division before searching. |
| Montgomery | Public Records Online (PRO) | Combines Common Pleas criminal, Municipal Court criminal/traffic and appellate information. |
| Lucas | Lucas County Clerk of Courts | The Clerk is custodian for felony criminal and appellate filings and links to its online docket. |
These are examples, not a complete Ohio county list. Use the Supreme Court trial-court directory for any of Ohio’s 88 counties.
How to read an Ohio criminal case result
A name result does not tell you the outcome. Read the docket chronologically and separate allegations from final disposition.
| Entry | What it means | What not to assume |
|---|---|---|
| Complaint | An accusation initiating a criminal matter. | It does not establish guilt. |
| Indictment | Formal felony charges returned through the grand-jury process. | It is still an allegation, not a conviction. |
| Arraignment | The proceeding where charges and plea issues are addressed. | Appearance at arraignment does not show final outcome. |
| Plea | The defendant’s formal response or later negotiated plea. | Check whether the plea resulted in conviction and on which count. |
| Dismissal | A charge or case was dismissed. | Do not continue describing a dismissed charge as a conviction. |
| Sentencing entry | The court’s sentence after conviction. | Read later modifications and appellate entries too. |
Getting certified Ohio criminal court records
Online docket pages are convenient research tools, but they may not be accepted when a receiving agency requires an official or certified disposition.
Contact the Clerk of Courts that maintains the case and ask for the exact document required, such as:
- certified judgment entry
- certified sentencing entry
- certified disposition
- indictment or complaint
- docket / register entries
- specific motion or order
Ohio BCI criminal-history records are different from public court searches
The Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) Identification Division is Ohio’s central criminal-record repository and maintains fingerprints, photographs and criminal-history information.
But there is a critical limitation: BCI’s computerized criminal-history records are not ordinary public records available to anyone through a free defendant-name search.
Search local court dockets
Use county clerks, Municipal Courts and County Courts to research public criminal cases.
Fingerprint-based criminal-history process
BCI background checks and personal criminal-history reviews use fingerprints and operate under separate statutory authority.
Ohio WebCheck background checks
BCI uses WebCheck for electronic fingerprint-based background checks. Schools, health-care facilities, child-care operations, licensing agencies and other employers commonly use this system when Ohio law requires or authorizes a criminal-record check.
The Attorney General says fingerprints generally must be submitted electronically through WebCheck or a card-scan process unless an exemption applies.
Ohio BCI Background Checks Find a WebCheck LocationWebCheck prices vary
There is no single retail price for every WebCheck site. The Attorney General’s current provider directory shows different vendor prices for BCI, FBI and combined checks.
How to request your own Ohio BCI criminal record
Ohio allows a person to request their own computerized criminal-history record from BCI to review it for accuracy and completeness.
The Attorney General currently requires:
- complete name and current address
- other required identifying information
- a complete set of fingerprints
- signed consent
- valid photo identification when fingerprints are submitted
- current BCI fee of $22
The $22 payment is made payable to the Treasurer of State of Ohio when following the direct BCI record-request procedure.
Request Your Own Ohio Criminal RecordHow to correct an inaccurate Ohio criminal-history record
After obtaining your own BCI criminal-history record, you may challenge information you believe is incomplete or inaccurate.
Ohio’s Attorney General advises people to collect documentation supporting the correction and contact the agency responsible for the disputed information.
Depending on the error, that agency may be:
- county sheriff
- local police department
- Municipal Court
- County Court
- Common Pleas Court
- another reporting criminal-justice agency
Ohio arrest records, police reports and incident records
Arrest and police records are usually maintained by the law-enforcement agency that created them. There is no one statewide Ohio police-report portal that replaces county sheriffs and municipal police departments.
Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 governs many public-record requests to Ohio public offices. However, criminal-investigative records can contain exempt or confidential information.
Incident / offense information
Routine incident reports can be treated differently from protected investigative work product.
Confidential portions
Ohio law can protect confidential sources, certain suspect information, specific investigatory techniques and information whose release could endanger people.
Go to the clerk
Once the issue is a filed court document or judgment entry, use the court’s public-access route.
How to make an Ohio public-records request
Ohio’s Public Records Act requires qualifying public records to be promptly prepared for inspection and copies to be provided within a reasonable period of time.
You generally do not have to explain why you want the record
Ohio law generally prohibits a public office from conditioning access on disclosure of the requester’s identity or intended use unless another law specifically requires or authorizes it.
An office may ask for a written request or identity information, but it must first explain that writing, identity and intended-use disclosure are not mandatory in the ordinary public-records process.
New 2026 Ohio rule for police and prosecutor video-record costs
This is a particularly important current-law detail for body-camera, dash-camera and other law-enforcement video requests.
Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 was amended effective September 7, 2026. Under the current law, a state or local law-enforcement agency or prosecuting attorney’s office may charge the actual cost associated with preparing a video record for inspection or production.
| 2026 video-record rule | Current statutory limit |
|---|---|
| Maximum preparation charge per hour of video produced | $75 |
| Maximum total charge under this provision | $750 |
| Estimate when agency policy requires prepayment | Within 5 business days |
The statute defines actual costs in this context to include work such as reviewing, blurring or obscuring, redacting, uploading and producing the video.
Ohio county jail records are local
County jail custody should not be confused with ODRC state-prison custody. Ohio’s sheriffs generally operate county jail systems, and jail rosters or inmate searches vary by county.
Use the county sheriff
Best for recent bookings, pretrial detention and people serving qualifying local jail sentences.
Use ODRC
Best for Ohio state prisoners, people under APA supervision and judicially released offenders listed by ODRC.
Ohio arrest warrants: why there is no simple public statewide warrant search
Ohio operates a centralized electronic warrant system known as eWarrants, but the statewide eWarrants application is designed for law-enforcement and authorized stakeholders; it is not an unrestricted public name-search website.
For a public warrant inquiry, the practical route is usually:
- the court that issued the warrant
- county sheriff warrant unit
- local police department
- Municipal or County Court docket
- Common Pleas docket after indictment
- local clerk of courts
Wrong-person warrant problem
The Ohio Attorney General advises a person who believes a legitimate arrest warrant was wrongly issued in their name to contact BCI for direction on clearing the identity problem.
BCI main line: 740-845-2000
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search
The ODRC Offender Search is the official statewide tool for people who are currently incarcerated in an Ohio prison, under Department supervision, or judicially released within the scope of the database.
Current search fields include
- last name
- first name
- county of commitment
- residential county
- ZIP code
- incarcerated / released status
- APA supervision
- violators at large
- next parole-board hearing month
- offender number
ODRC search limitations
Ohio law does not classify the complete inmate file as a public record. Certain information may nevertheless be disclosed, including name, criminal convictions, photograph, supervision status, current and past incarceration location and specified other information.
ODRC also warns that the sentencing information displayed online may not contain a complete list of every sentence associated with an offender.
Search Ohio OffendersOhio criminal appeals and Supreme Court case records
Ohio is divided into 12 Courts of Appeals districts. These intermediate appellate courts review judgments from Courts of Common Pleas, Municipal Courts and County Courts within their geographic districts.
Find an Ohio Court of AppealsSupreme Court of Ohio docket
The Supreme Court’s Office of the Clerk provides an online case docket. It can be searched using case information such as the case name or appellate case number.
The Supreme Court docket provides filings, docket items, decisions and case information for cases actually filed in the Supreme Court.
Federal criminal records in Ohio
Federal criminal cases are separate from Ohio state and county court cases. Ohio is divided between the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Akron, Cleveland, Toledo, Youngstown
The Northern District maintains federal courthouse offices in these four Ohio cities.
Northern District of OhioCincinnati, Columbus, Dayton
The Southern District maintains federal courthouse offices in these three Ohio cities.
Southern District of OhioFederal electronic case records are generally accessed through PACER.
Search Federal Cases with PACEROhio juvenile criminal-type records have different access rules
Juvenile matters are handled through the Juvenile Division of the Court of Common Pleas and are subject to different public-access, confidentiality, sealing and expungement rules from ordinary adult criminal cases.
Do not assume that an adult Clerk of Courts name search will display a juvenile record. Use the Supreme Court trial-court directory to locate the county’s Juvenile Court when legitimate access is needed.
Ohio criminal record sealing and expungement rules in 2026
Ohio law now distinguishes between sealing and expungement. Eligibility depends on the offense, degree, final discharge date, number and type of convictions, and statutory exclusions.
Current Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32 contains separate waiting periods for sealing and expungement.
| Record type | Current timing example | Important caution |
|---|---|---|
| Minor misdemeanor — sealing | 6 months after final discharge | Eligibility rules still apply. |
| F4 / F5 or qualifying misdemeanor — sealing | 1 year after final discharge | Statutory exclusions can bar relief. |
| One or two qualifying F3 convictions — sealing | 3 years after final discharge | Additional restrictions apply. |
| Minor misdemeanor — expungement | 6 months after final discharge | Check current statute and local procedure. |
| Misdemeanor — expungement | 1 year after final discharge | Some offenses are excluded. |
| Felony — expungement | 10 years after the applicable sealing eligibility date | This is substantially later than ordinary sealing eligibility. |
Current filing fee
Under the current statute, an applicant generally pays a $50 application fee unless a poverty affidavit establishes indigency. A local court fee of up to $50 may also apply under the current version of § 2953.32.
Important offenses excluded from ordinary relief
Ohio’s current statute excludes or limits relief for several categories, including various traffic offenses, first- and second-degree felonies, certain offenses of violence, specified sexually oriented offenses, offenses involving certain young victims and additional categories listed in the statute.
Dismissed or not-guilty cases
Ohio Revised Code § 2953.33 provides a separate pathway for records after a not-guilty finding, dismissal, grand-jury no bill or certain pardons.
A person whose complaint, indictment or information was dismissed may generally apply after the dismissal subject to the statute’s conditions, while a grand-jury no-bill application generally has a two-year timing rule.
Ohio Revised Code § 2953.33New 2026 Ohio marijuana and hashish expungement law
Ohio added a specific marijuana/hashish record-expungement provision that became effective March 20, 2026.
Ohio Revised Code § 2953.321 allows qualifying people with specified older marijuana-possession or qualifying hashish-possession cases to apply to the sentencing court for expungement.
The statute defines expungement here as destroying, deleting and erasing the record so that it becomes permanently irretrievable, subject to the statute’s eligibility requirements.
The current statutory application fee is $50 unless the applicant is indigent.
Ohio BCI locations and fingerprint access
The Ohio Attorney General lists multiple BCI locations where electronic fingerprints can be submitted for a person’s own criminal-history request, including London, Bowling Green, Richfield and Youngstown.
BCI London
1560 State Route 56 SWLondon, OH 43140
Main line:
855-224-6446
Background-check inquiries:
877-224-0043
Additional locations
Bowling Green
Richfield
Youngstown
Use the Attorney General’s current instructions before traveling because services and locations can change.
BCI London map
Call before making a special trip and confirm whether the service you need is offered at that location. A nearby WebCheck provider may be more convenient for many fingerprint submissions.
Ohio criminal-record search tips that save time
Think county first
Most Ohio trial-court searches are local. Identify the county where the case was filed.
Felony? Check Common Pleas
The General Division is usually the main felony-court record source.
Recent felony arrest? Check lower court too
A Municipal or County Court may have the preliminary case before indictment.
Use DOB where available
Common Ohio names can produce multiple defendants. DOB helps reduce mistaken identity.
Save the case number
It is the most useful identifier for clerk calls, certified copies and appeals.
Do not confuse BCI with court search
BCI computerized criminal histories are not a free public defendant-name lookup.
Check Mayor’s Court when appropriate
Some ordinance and state-traffic cases begin in these non-record municipal tribunals.
Jail does not equal prison
Use the county sheriff for jail custody and ODRC for state corrections/supervision.
Read the final disposition
An arrest, complaint or indictment is not proof of conviction.
What an Ohio criminal-record search may not show
- sealed criminal records
- expunged records
- confidential juvenile information
- federal cases searched only in Ohio state systems
- out-of-state criminal cases
- investigative material exempt from public disclosure
- very recent felony matters still in a lower court
- Mayor’s Court cases not checked separately
- old documents not remotely digitized
- records filed under a different legal name
Using Ohio criminal records for employment or housing decisions
A public court docket and an employment background check are not automatically the same thing. Ohio BCI background checks are fingerprint-based services used for many licensing and employment purposes, while public county court dockets are records-research tools.
Ohio criminal records: frequently asked questions
1. Is there one statewide Ohio criminal court case search?
No single public trial-court name-search system replaces all Ohio local courts. Use the Supreme Court of Ohio Trial Courts directory to identify the Common Pleas, Municipal or County Court serving the county and then use that court’s public case-search system.
2. Where are Ohio felony criminal cases filed?
Felony cases are generally handled in the General Division of the Court of Common Pleas. Ohio has a Court of Common Pleas in each of its 88 counties.
3. Where do I search Ohio misdemeanor cases?
Misdemeanor cases are commonly handled by Municipal Courts or County Courts. The correct court depends on the geographic jurisdiction where the case was filed.
4. Can anyone search Ohio BCI criminal histories by name for free?
No. The Ohio Attorney General states that computerized criminal-history records maintained by BCI are not ordinary public records. BCI uses fingerprint-based processes for authorized background checks and for individuals requesting their own criminal history.
5. How much does it cost to request my own Ohio BCI criminal history?
The Ohio Attorney General currently lists a $22 BCI fee for the direct personal criminal-history request. WebCheck providers may charge their own service or convenience fees.
6. How do I find someone in an Ohio state prison?
Use the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search. It covers people currently incarcerated in Ohio prisons, under Department supervision, or judicially released within the scope of the system.
7. Is Ohio’s eWarrants system a public warrant search?
No. Ohio’s statewide eWarrants system is designed for law enforcement and authorized stakeholders. Public warrant inquiries generally require the issuing court, sheriff, police department or local clerk.
8. Can I request an Ohio police report without explaining why I want it?
Ohio’s Public Records Act generally does not allow a public office to condition access on disclosure of the requester’s identity or intended use unless another law specifically requires or authorizes it. Exempt and confidential information can still be withheld or redacted.
9. Can an Ohio criminal conviction be sealed or expunged?
Some qualifying records can be sealed or expunged under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2953. Eligibility depends on the offense, degree, final discharge, waiting period, criminal history and statutory exclusions.
10. Does an Ohio state court search include federal criminal cases?
No. Federal criminal cases are separate. Ohio is divided between the Northern and Southern U.S. District Courts, and federal electronic case records are generally accessed through PACER.
Official Ohio and federal sources used for this guide
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Ohio Trial Courts & Local Rules
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Judicial System Structure
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Courts of Appeals
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Online Case Docket
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Mayor’s Court Search
- Ohio Attorney General — BCI Background Checks
- Ohio Attorney General — WebCheck Locations
- Ohio Attorney General — Requesting Your Own Criminal Records
- Ohio BCI Identification Division
- Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 — Public Records
- Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32 — Sealing / Expungement
- Ohio Revised Code § 2953.33 — Dismissed / Not Guilty Records
- Ohio Revised Code § 2953.321 — Marijuana / Hashish Expungement
- Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction — Offender Search
- U.S. District Court — Northern District of Ohio
- U.S. District Court — Southern District of Ohio
- PACER Federal Case Search