Athens County Court Records

According to Rule 44 of the Ohio Rules of Superintendent for Courts, court records, known as case documents, are documents and information submitted to a court or filed with a clerk of court in a legal action or proceeding. These documents include exhibits, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, and court-generated documentation such as journals, dockets, and indices.

Ohio court records, such as those from Athens County, provide a thorough summary of legal cases within the county, serving as a valuable tool for legal experts, scholars, and the general public. These documents promote openness and responsibility in the legal system, enabling people to learn about court proceedings, examine legal precedents, and monitor particular cases, leading to a deeper comprehension of the county's legal system.

Are Court Records Public in Athens County?

As per Rule 45 in the Ohio Rules of Superintendent for Courts, court records are statutorily available to the public. This means that people are allowed to view and examine these documents. Nevertheless, some court records do not follow this common principle. For example, court records may have personal identifiers like names and addresses removed to safeguard privacy. Furthermore, specific documents, like those with confidential details about juvenile cases or national security matters, could be limited in access.

Additionally, individuals can file a motion with the court to limit public access to a court record. The court will examine their request to decide if enough reasons warrant limiting access.

Athens County Court Records Search

There are multiple options available for individuals seeking court records in Athens County, including the following:

• Athens County Clerk of Courts
• Athens County Sheriff's Office
• Athens County Probate/Juvenile Court CaseLook
• Athens County Recorder
• Athens County Municipal Court Record Search Portal
• Athens City-County Health Department - Vital Statistics Office
• Ohio Court of Claims Odyssey Portal
• Ohio Department of Health - Bureau of Vital Statistics
• Ohio Archives & Library
• Ohio Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI)

Athens County Courts

The Athens County court system is a component of the larger Ohio judiciary, consisting of Courts of Common Pleas, County Courts, Municipal Courts, Mayor's Courts, and the Court of Claims.

Courts of Common Pleas possess the widest jurisdiction, managing a variety of civil and criminal cases. County Courts have authority over specific civil and criminal cases in regions where Municipal Courts do not have jurisdiction. Municipal Courts deal with certain civil and criminal cases, while Mayor's Courts concentrate on municipal ordinance violations and traffic cases. The Court of Claims is a specific court responsible for dealing with lawsuits brought against the State of Ohio and its agencies. These courts hear their cases in the following courthouses:

Athens County Court of Common Pleas - General and Domestic Relations Divisions
Athens County Courthouse
1 S Court St, 4th Floor, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3242
Fax: (740) 592-3282

Athens County Juvenile/Probate Court
Athens County Courthouse
1 S Court St, 2nd Floor, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3256
Fax: (740) 592-3268

Athens County Municipal Court
8 E Washington St, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3328
Fax: (740) 592-3331

Buchtel Mayor's Court
17710 N Akron Ave, Nelsonville, OH 45764
Phone: (740) 753-1036

Coolville Mayor's Court
126 Main St, Coolville, OH 45723
Phone: (740) 667-7349

Glouster Mayor's Court
16 Front St, Glouster, OH 45732
Phone: (740) 767-3497

Nelsonville Mayor's Court
City Hall
211 Lake Hope Dr, Nelsonville, OH 45764
Phone: (740) 753-5692

Athens County Criminal Records

Criminal records maintained by law enforcement agencies such as the Athens County Sheriff's Office and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) are available to the public in the county. These records detail information about arrests, charges, convictions, and legal procedures. Athens County Sheriff's Office and Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) make criminal records available to the general public with some exceptions which include sensitive information such as CCW licenses, peace officer's personal details, medical records, trial preparation materials, confidential law enforcement investigations, DNA records, and security and infrastructure data.

Requesters can obtain criminal records from the Athens County Sheriff's Office through in-person visits, phone calls, emails, faxes, or mail. The Sheriff's Office handles these requests in the order they are received, Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, excluding holidays. It is advisable to provide details like the incident type, location, case number (if available), date/time, and names of persons involved to speed up the process. The contact details for sending requests are given below:

13 West Washington Street.
Athens, OH 45701
Contact number: (740) 566-4305
Fax: (740) 593-3673
Email address: slightner@athenssheriff.com

Additionally, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) stores criminal records for the state and provides authorized individuals, including the individual in question, with access to them. To get records from BCI, requesters need to submit electronic fingerprints at one of the Web Check locations provided by searching the Webcheck Community Listing while selecting "Athens County" under the "Search by County" search options. Self-requests necessitate photocopies of photo ID, and third-party requests require permission signed by the individual listed in the record. A $22.00 processing fee must be paid to the "Treasurer of State of Ohio" through money order, business check, or electronic payment. These records can also be accessed by sending a filled-out Request for BCI Name Search form to the address provided below:

Investigation Bureau for Criminal in Ohio
1560 State Route 56 Southwest, Post Office Box 365.
London, Ohio 43140
855-BCI-OHIO ((855) 224-6446).

Get Athens County Civil Court Records

Athens County Civil Court Records consist of case files and details presented to the court or Clerk in civil legal cases. These records include exhibits, pleadings, motions, orders, judgments, and paperwork generated by the court. The documents involve a variety of civil lawsuits, such as general civil conflicts, issues related to domestic relations, probate cases, and small claims of $3,000 or less.

The Clerk of Courts' Office, the custodian of court records in the county, provides access to these records through an online search portal called Courtview. Requesters may search civil case records on Courtview using the "Case number," "Name," "Case type," and "advanced attorney" search criteria. They can also visit the Clerk's office to submit a written request using their contact details given below:

1 S. Court Street,
4th Floor,
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3242
Fax: (740) 592-3282
Email:ckirkendall@athensoh.org.

Athens County Marriage Records

Marriage records in Athens County are generally considered public records, meaning they are accessible to the public. However, due to the sensitive nature of marriage information, these records might be more difficult to obtain compared to other public records. The primary source for these records is the Probate Division of the Athens County Court of Common Plea, where requesters can make copies of marriage records from 1803 to the present.

To access these records, requesters can utilize the Athens County Probate/Juvenile CaseLook online portal. They can also visit the Probate Division of the Court of Common Plea to submit a written request using their contact details given below:

1 South Court St.,
2nd Floor
Athens, Ohio 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3251

Athens County Divorce Records

The Probate Division of the Athens County Court of Common Pleas maintains divorce records, which are considered public records in Ohio. However, due to the sensitive nature of divorce information, obtaining these records might be more difficult than other public records.

To access these records from 1803 to date, requesters can utilize the Athens County Probate/Juvenile CaseLook online portal. They can also visit the Probate Division of the Court of Common Pleas to submit a written request using their contact details given below:

1 South Court St.,
2nd Floor
Athens, Ohio 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3251

Athens County Birth and Death Records

Athens County Birth and death records may be obtained via the Athens City-County Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health (ODH).

Athens City-County Health Department:

The Athens City-County Health Department provides a convenient and efficient way to get official copies of birth and death records. Individuals can access these documents by filling out the application form and submitting it in person, placing it in a designated box at the health department, or sending it by mail to the address provided.

Athens City-County Health Department
278 West Union Street
Athens, OH 45701

Requesters should ensure that they include a $22.00 payment in cash or money order with any submission method with the filled-out application. The health department will then send the requested records to the requester's address as provided in the application.

Health Department of Ohio:

The Ohio Department of Health keeps birth records older than 125 years and death records older than 50 years. For convenience, these records are available online, by mail, or in person.

Their Bureau of Vital Statistics office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, offering quick service and accepting credit card payments. To have a seamless in-person experience, it is recommended that applicants download and fill out the "Application for Certified Copies" before arriving. To request copies by mail, requesters may also send the filled "Application for Certified Copies" form and a fee of $21.50 to the specified address:

Ohio Department of Health Bureau of Vital Statistics
P.O. Box 15098
Columbus, Ohio
43215-0098

Birth and death certificates are vital records needed for various reasons, such as genealogy studies, getting passports or driver's licenses, enrolling in school, applying for Social Security benefits, handling estates, and signing up for voting. These documents offer essential data on identity, nationality, and important life occurrences.

Athens County Probate Court Records

The Athens County Probate Court, a division of the Court of Common Pleas, hears a wide range of legal cases as outlined in Ohio Revised Code Section 2101.24. These cases include:

• Probate of wills
• Estate administration
• Guardianships and conservatorships
• Marriage licenses
• Mental incompetency inquiries
• Assignments and trustees
• Property sales
• Will contests
• Missing persons determinations
• Wards
• Fiduciary bonds
• Medical treatment matters
• Estate administration
• Disposition of remains

To access these records, requesters can utilize the Athens County Probate/Juvenile CaseLook online portal. They can also visit the Probate Division of the Court of Common Plea submit a written request using their contact details given below:

1 South Court St.,
2nd Floor
Athens, Ohio 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3251

Athens County Property Records

The Athens County Recorder's Office keeps a comprehensive record of real estate documents from 1790. These documents include deeds, mortgages, liens, leases, and other papers regarding land ownership and transactions.

Requesters can obtain property records by going to the Recorder's Office via phone or email or using online tools such as AvaWeb. The Recorder's Office staff can help guide them through the records and explain the information. The Recorder's Office contact details are as follows.

Room 236,
15 S. Court Street,
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: (740) 592-3228
Fax: (740) 592-3229
Email: jmarkins@athensoh.org

The Recorder's Office property records prove to be a valuable asset when investigating property titles, history, or genealogy. Copies of recorded documents can be obtained for different prices: $2.00 per page for standard copies, $3.00 per page for certified copies, and $2.00 or $4.00 per page for local or long-distance fax copies.

Athens County Court Records Online

While Athens County court websites don't offer direct access to all records online, websites like ohiocourtrecords.us can be a convenient alternative. Users can search for specific cases on the platforms by entering details like case numbers, party names, or dates through these interfaces. This can help reduce the time and effort needed compared to going to the courthouse.

Nevertheless, it is crucial to understand the constraints of these external sources. Since these platforms function separately from government agencies, there is no assurance of the accuracy and timeliness of the information provided. Moreover, specific platforms could require fees for viewing or obtaining records and may not offer access to all available court records.