Erie County Court Records

When a case goes to court, all related occurrences must be properly documented for future reference and review by interested stakeholders. Besides referencing past occurrences, proper documentation is necessary for facilitating fairness and integrity—two pillars of the justice system. Furthermore, these documents help to preserve evidence, maintain transparency, facilitate legal research/education, and support appeals. These documents are generally referred to as "court records" and include pleadings, exhibits, witness statements, motions, orders, and judgments. Rule 44 of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio (Sup. R. 44) also includes administrative court documents.

Erie County court records are filed with, kept, and maintained by the Erie County Clerk of Courts, who handles records generated in the Common Pleas Court and the 6th District Court of Appeals. On the other hand, the Municipal Court Clerk maintains Erie County municipal court records.

Are Court Records Public in Erie County?

Yes, Erie court records are categorized as public documents. Per Section 149.93 of the Ohio Revised Code, public records are documents any public office keeps, including a court in Erie County. In addition, Rule 45 of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio expressly provides for a presumption of public access to court records. To this end, a clerk of court is directed to make court records available to any interested person directly or remotely within a reasonable time.

However, court records only remain public to the extent that they are not exempted from public copying and inspection by the Ohio Revised Code. For example, the law expressly states that the following documents or information are not subject to public viewing:

• Medical records
• Records that do not serve the public interest
• Information that infringes on an individual's privacy rights and interests
• Records regarding probation and parole proceedings
• Adoption records
• Adult Protective Services documents
• Mental commitments
• Trial preparation records
• Confidential law enforcement investigatory records
• Specific juvenile records

Erie County Court Records Search

As mentioned above, Erie County court records are maintained by the clerks of the originating courts. Subsequently, members of the public can approach the relevant custodians to access copies of records in their custody. Generally, the Erie County Clerk of Courts and Erie County Municipal Court grant in-person and remote public access to case documents they maintain.

Erie County Courts

The Erie County court system comprises the Court of Common Pleas (a trial court of general jurisdiction) and the Municipal Courts (trial courts of limited jurisdiction). Erie County also operates Mayor's Courts, which are presided over by magistrates and handle traffic offenses, city ordinance violations, and minor misdemeanors. However, Mayor courts are not regarded as part of the state's judicial system and cannot prescribe jail terms for offenses. They are also not courts of record.

Below is a directory of the courts located in Erie County:

Erie County Criminal Records

Erie County criminal records are documents that reflect an individual's connection to the criminal justice agencies, especially law enforcement agents, in Erie County. The arresting agencies primarily maintain these records, and can generally be accessed by individuals through:

Arrest Records Search

Erie County arrest records are documents and information that give an account of individuals detained or incarcerated by law enforcement agencies in the county. Members of the public can access these records through the Erie County Sheriff's Jail Roster, which is available at the Sheriff's physical location at:

For remote access to these records, parties should click on "Jail Roster" on the left side of the Sheriff's official home page. They will be redirected to a database of new inmates, where the following information will be displayed per arrestee:

• Mugshot
• Jail identity number
• Inmate's name
• Charges
• Court
• Bail information
• Arresting agency
• Booking information

Another option for accessing Erie County arrest records is querying the local arresting agency directly in person during regular office hours or remotely on the agency's official website (if available). For example, the Sandusky Police Department allows individuals to access arrest information through their records department in person during regular business hours. Parties may also fill out and submit a Public Records Request Form.

Criminal Background Checks

A criminal background check is another method a person or corporate entity can use to access Erie County criminal records. However, this is only available to a limited category of individuals, such as labor employers and the subjects of the records. To run a criminal background check, qualified parties may query the Bureau of Criminal Investigations, which the Ohio Attorney General oversees. To access these records, the requestor will require the subject's consent through fingerprints from licensed agencies, including the Huron Police Department in Erie County.

Local arresting agencies such as the Sadusky Police Department also process background checks for criminal history information specific to their jurisdictions. To obtain this record, eligible parties may fill out and submit a Request for Release of Criminal History Information.

Erie County Civil Court Records

Civil court records are case documents and administrative information pertaining to non-criminal proceedings in the county. Erie County civil court records from the Common Pleas Court and the 6th District Court of Appeals can be obtained through the Erie County Clerk of Courts Public Case Information System by inputting specific criteria, including:

• Party's name
• Case type
• Case status
• Party type
• Date of birth or death
• File date

Alternatively, individuals can visit the County Clerk of Court's Office to request publicly available court records at the location below:

323 Columbus Avenue
First Floor
Sandusky, Ohio 44870

For Erie County Municipal Court records, one can query the clerk of the municipal court physically during normal work hours at:

150 West Mason Road
Milan, OH 44846

Another option is to leverage the Erie County Municipal Court Online Record Search platform, which is accessible on the court's official website.

Erie County Marriage Records

Erie County marriage records are official documents that verify the marital union of two individuals, where the marriage license was obtained in Erie County. These records are maintained by the Probate Division of the county's Court of Common Pleas, which provides multiple avenues for members of the public to access them.

For example, one can obtain certified copies of Erie County marriage records by scheduling a physical visit to the Common Pleas Probate Court during normal office hours at:

323 Columbus Avenue
2nd Floor
Sandusky, Ohio 44870

Erie County marriage records can also be obtained by filling out and submitting a Marriage Licenses Certified Copy Request Form to the above address. Information required to complete the form includes:

• Names of both couples as they appear on the marriage license
• Approximate marriage date
• The requester's name and telephone number
• Number of requested copies

Certified marriage licenses cost $2 per copy, payable to the Erie County Probate Court in cash or check. Individuals must also send a self-addressed stamped business-size envelope along with the request form. The maximum processing time for this record is typically 2 weeks.

Erie County Divorce Records

One can obtain court case documents from their official custodian—the Domestic Relations Division of the Clerk of Courts, which maintains records pertaining to various family-related cases, including dissolution of marriage, divorces, legal separation, and annulments.

Another option for accessing these records is through the Erie County Clerk of Courts Public Case Information System mentioned above. To obtain divorce-specific results, requesters should choose "Divorce" from the drop-down menu under "Case Type". They may also choose "Dissolution" to obtain dissolution of marriage records or "Other Domestic Relations" for other records maintained by the Domestic Relations Division of the Clerk of Courts, including legal separation and annulment documents.

Erie County Birth and Death Records

Records of persons whose births and deaths occurred or were recorded in Erie County can be obtained through the Erie County Health Department. As an Open Records state, copies of birth and death certificates will be made available to anyone who requires them regardless of their status as vital records.

For in-person requests, requesters should visit the health department at this location during normal business hours:

Erie County Community Health Center
420 Superior Street
Sandusky, Ohio 44870

No appointments are needed. However, parties are advised to print and complete the Vital Application for Certified Copies before visiting the office to speed up the process.

For mail requests, one should complete the above form and mail it to the address above. Phone orders should be done through a call to (419) 626-5633 Ext. 5122 during official business hours.

Individuals requesting death records should note that social security numbers are not included on a death certificate copy for the first five years after the decedent's demise (ORC 3705.23(5) ). The exception to this rule is when specific parties, such as the decedent's spouse, executor, attorney, and funeral director, specifically request such information.

Qualified persons can request a death certificate with a social security number by indicating the inclusion of such information on their application, which must be accompanied by a proof of identification and an acceptable Proof of Relationship document. Alternatively, eligible requesters can fill out and submit a Proof of Relationship Verification Addendum to make this special request.

Birth and death certificates cost $25 per copy, payable by cash, money order, credit card, or certified bank check.

Another option for obtaining Erie County birth and death records is to send requests to the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Ohio Department of Health, which makes birth records from December 20, 1908, and death records from 1971 till the present available to the public. Birth and death records from the Ohio Department of Health are obtainable online on the Online Certificates Application Page, via mail upon filling out and submitting an Application for Certified Copies form, and in person at the location below:

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

Erie County Probate Court Records

The probate division of the Erie County Court of Common Pleas handles the administration of properties (estates) belonging to a decedent. Erie County probate court has jurisdiction over adoptions, guardianship, conservatorship, involuntary commitment of mentally ill persons, and other matters specified in Section 2101.24 of the Ohio Revised Code.

Erie County Probate Court records can be obtained in person at the probate division of the Erie County Court of Common Pleas or through the public case information system discussed above. For probate-specific records, searchers should choose the case type in question from the drop-down menu on the "Case Type" category. Individuals should note that records regarding estates, guardianships, and trusts are public documents. However, many other records, such as adoptions and mental commitments, are sealed and excluded from public viewing.

Erie County Property Records

Property records are documents and information that contain details of real estate taxes, transfers, sales, liens, repairs, judgments, assessments, etc. These records are generally used to verify and assess ownership and property liability during sales, transfers, mortgage applications, and other transactions. Property documents can also be used to challenge taxes when owners believe their properties may have been assessed wrongly.

People can go through the following offices to obtain property records:

Erie County Treasurer: The county treasurer collects property taxes and maintains records regarding these levies. Individuals can use its online search tool to verify property ownership and check outstanding tax payments. They can also contact the office directly for more information.

Erie County Recorder: The recorder maintains the county's property documents, such as deeds, conveyances, mortgages, land contracts, easements, leases, etc. One can visit or contact the recorder using the following details:

602 7th Street
Room 110
Sandusky, OH 45662
Phone: (740) 355-8304
Fax: (740) 355-8355

Erie County Court Records Online

Certain private databases like Ohiocourtrecords.us provide Erie County public records, including arrest, court, and some vital information online. While these services generally charge customers, they are known to offer more convenient methods for finding records. However, interested parties are advised that these entities do not manufacture the records they dispense. Hence, they cannot guarantee authenticity and accuracy.