What are Ohio Juvenile Court Records?

In Ohio, the juvenile court is a division of the Court of Common Pleas. Juvenile courts hear cases of matters such as abuse and neglect allegations, juvenile traffic and violent offenses, delinquency, and in some cases, custody and child support. By law, juveniles are children under the age of 18. According to ORC §2151.01, juvenile courts exist to provide for the protection, care, and development of children. The other functions of this court are to provide a framework and establish processes for the enforcement of state codes. The Department of Youth Services (DYS) oversees Ohio's juvenile corrections system.

Juvenile court records are created when a minor becomes involved in the juvenile court system. Involvement can happen when the minor is arrested for being unruly, for delinquency, or when a complaint is filed against the minor. Records are maintained by the Clerk of Juvenile Court in each county.

What Information is Contained in an Ohio Juvenile Record?

Juvenile records contain the subject's court system history. It includes identifying information, including names, age or date of birth, race, photograph, ethnicity, identification numbers, and fingerprints. The subject's court history is also included in the record, including any records of complaints, arrests, charges, court hearings, and sentences.

What Cases are Heard by Ohio Juvenile Courts?

Cases heard by Ohio Juvenile Courts include:

• Unruly Cases: these are cases of juveniles charged with being unruly. Ohio law defines an unruly child as habitually truant from school, wayward, or disobedient to parents, guardians, teachers, or custodians. Children who engage in behaviors that endanger their health or the health and morals of others are also considered unruly (ORC §2151.022).
• Delinquent cases: these are cases of minors who commit offenses that would be regarded as crimes and tried in a criminal court if the parties were adults. It also includes cases of minors who violate court orders (ORC §2152).
• Juvenile traffic offenses: cases of minors who violate any state or local traffic laws excluding parking violations
• Juvenile dependency, neglect, and abuse: these are cases of children who are homeless, abandoned, or who lack adequate parental care. It also includes cases of physical, mental, and sexual abuse victims, and children who are endangered, according to ORC §2151. 04, §2151.03, §2151.031, and §2919.22.

Who is Eligible to View Juvenile Records in Ohio?

Ohio's laws make public records available for copying and inspection (ORC §149.43). In line with this law, those eligible to view juvenile records in Ohio include:

• Subjects of the record
• Lawyers representing the juvenile
• Parents and legal guardians of the juvenile
• The general public

Some juvenile records are sealed automatically and may not be accessible to the public (ORC §2151.356). The documents are automatically sealed if:

• No formal complaint is filed after an arrest or police contact
• A case is dismissed after trial because the juvenile was not found to be unruly, delinquent, or a traffic offender
• The minor completes a diversion program after an underage drinking charge
• A minor found to be unruly has turned 18, and there are no other pending charges

Medical records and records of youth in the Department of Youth Services (DYS) custody are not accessible to the public (ORC §5120.21).

In public juvenile records, personal identifiers, such as names of the juvenile and financial information are redacted.

Ohio laws allow record subjects to file a motion to seal or expunge records six months after the case is closed. Sealed records can only be accessed by:

• The court
• The matter of the record
• School boards
• Law enforcement officers
• Other persons involved in the case
• In cases of sex offenses, the Attorney General's office

How to Find Juvenile Records in Ohio

Public juvenile records may be inspected or copied in person at the Clerk of Court office in the county where the case was heard or filed. Requestors do not have to provide identification or state the reasons for the request. Additionally, public records requests may be made in writing and sent by mail to the Clerk of Court juvenile court. Copying and postage fees apply and may differ per county.

Some counties, such as Miami County and Shelby County, provide online access to public juvenile records.

Records that are considered public may be accessible from some third-party websites. These websites often make searching simpler, as they are not limited by geographic location, and search engines on these sites may help when starting a search for a specific or multiple records. To begin using such a search engine on a third-party or government website, interested parties usually must provide:

• The name of the person involved in the record, unless said person is a juvenile
• The location or assumed location of the record or person involved. This includes information such as the city, county, or state that person resides in or was accused in.

Third-party sites are independent from government sources, and are not sponsored by these government agencies. Because of this, record availability on third-party sites may vary.

Can you Lookup Ohio Juvenile Records Online?

Yes, it is possible to lookup Ohio juvenile records online. However, availability varies from one county to another. In some counties, records can only be inspected or copied in person at the courthouse. Other counties, such as Delaware and Miami, provide online access to court records. Search criteria include:

• Name
• Date of birth
• Case number
• Case type

Requestors may contact the juvenile courtin each county to confirm available methods of record retrieval. Some third-party websites also provide access to public juvenile records.

Do Ohio Juvenile Records Show up on Background Checks?

Although juvenile records are not considered criminal records, juvenile delinquency information may show up in background checks. Sealed or expunged records do not show up in background checks because sealed records are restricted from public access, and expunged records are entirely removed from court systems.

Some juvenile records are sealed automatically. For some others, the record holders must file a motion for the sealing of the documents. To be eligible to file, the record holder may file six months after:

• Court orders related to the case have been terminated, and there are no pending cases
• The juvenile has been unconditionally discharged from the Department of Youth Services (DYS)
• The court rules that the juvenile is no longer a sex offender.

If the above-listed criteria are met, the juvenile may submit an application to the Clerk of the Juvenile Court in the county where the case was heard or filed. Persons aged 18 and above do not have to wait six months to file a motion. The applicant may be required to submit documentation to support the motion. Documentation could be work and school performance, or reports of volunteer activities. There is no filing fee required.

The court may grant the sealing motion with or without a hearing. Records of rape, murder, and aggravated murder are not eligible to be sealed. The expungement process is the same as for sealing. However, only sealed records can be expunged. In Ohio, sealed records are automatically expunged five years after the sealing or when the subject of the record turns 23. Record holders can file a motion for expungement before the five-year timeline or file for expungement at the same time as sealing.

How Long are Juvenile Records Kept in Ohio?

Unless the records are sealed or expunged, juvenile records remain valid. Sealed records are restricted from public access, while expunged records are entirely removed from court and law enforcement systems. When a juvenile record is sealed, it will be automatically expunged when the subject of the record turns 23 or five years after the sealing. Subjects of the record may apply to have the records expunged before the five-year timeline.