Knox County Court Records

Knox County Court records are case documents and administrative reports filed, created, or submitted to the Court Clerk during a legal proceeding or judicial action (Sup. R 44(B) of the Ohio Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence). Irrespective of the method of creation, storage, and physical form, court records typically include orders, pleadings, motions, exhibits, journals, judgments, dockets, summonses, and indices. In Knox County, persons who perform a Court records search may find case information such as party names, charges/claims, filing date, case type, legal representatives, and court calendar.

The judicial branch preserves Ohio Court records for several reasons, including aiding case parties, legal professionals, and the public to assess veritable case facts. Official Knox County court records may also be tendered as supporting evidence in a court process or utilized in conducting a background check.

Are Court Records Public in Knox County

Yes. Per Sup.R. 45(A) and Section 149.43 of The Ohio Revised Code, court records are presumed open, part of Knox County Public Records, and accessible to the public. By these laws, interested persons may query the clerk of the court's office to inspect and copy court records.

However, certain records may be sealed from public access by a court order or due to the sensitive information they contain. Some of such records that are shielded from public disclosure include:

• Sealed or expunged records
• Records of juveniles, mentally unstable persons, victims of sexual assaults, and persons with HIV
• Medical reports, histories, and logs of patients
• Adoption and child custody records
• Records managed by the Department of Youth Services in relation to detained minors
• DNA test results and records stored in a DNA databank
• Case records related to stalking or domestic abuse
• Records of inmates submitted by the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to the Department of Youth Services
• Personal information like financial records, security numbers, and credit card information.

Knox County Court Records Search

Interested persons performing a Knox County Court records search may utilize the following options:

• Walk-in visits to the Knox County Clerk of Courts office during regular hours
• Submit a request in person or via mail to the clerk's office in the courthouse where the case was heard
• Use the search tools provided by the individual courts or the judicial branch in the County
• Private record providers.

Knox County Courts

The Courts of Common Pleas and Municipal Courts make up the court system in Knox County. The Courts of Common Pleas presides over criminal felonies, civil claims for $15,000 and above, real estate titles/ foreclosures, and domestic relations cases such as divorce, separation, annulment, child, and spousal support. The Municipal Court, however, has jurisdiction over misdemeanors and certain violations of municipal ordinances. The addresses and contact information of the courthouses in Knox County are listed below:

Knox County Court of Common Pleas - General and Domestic Relations Divisions
117 East High Street, Suite 201
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
Phone: (740) 393-6788
Fax: (740) 392-3533

Knox County Court of Common Pleas - Probate and Juvenile Divisions
Knox County Courthouse
111 East High Street
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
Phone: (740) 393-6798
Fax: (740) 393-6832

Mount Vernon Municipal Court
5 North Gay Street
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
Phone: (740) 393-9510
Fax: (740) 393-5349

Knox County Criminal Records

The Knox County Sheriff's Office provides background check services to county residents. Walk-in local background checks cost $5, and BCI and FBI checks cost $32 each. Fingerprint cards cost $10 per copy and $5 for additional copies. Payments are to be made by check or money order made payable to the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. These services are by appointment only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Interested persons may schedule an appointment by phoning (740) 399-3927 or (740) 397-3333, Option #5.

On a broader scale, Knox County criminal records are maintained by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) which is the state's repository for criminal records. Eligible requestors may submit mail requests enclosed in a self-addressed envelope and containing a signed consent form, fingerprints, and proof of payment(fee of $22 payable to the Treasurer of State) to the Civilian Services unit of the Identification Division of the BCI at:

Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation
1560 State Route 56 Southwest
P.O. Box 365
London, OH 43140
Phone: (740) 845-2000

Get Knox County Civil Court Records

Knox County Civil court records, which comprise case filings, dockets, and materials for cases of real estate/ property disputes, claim suits, domestic relations, and probate matters, are maintained by the Knox County Clerk of Court’s Office. Residents of the county may visit the Clerk's Office in person during regular hours to inspect and request copies of civil court records. One may also obtain civil court records by querying the particular courthouse handling the case. The clerk of the Court of Common Pleas or the Municipal Court manages these records for their specific courthouses.

Knox County Clerk of Courts
117 East High Street
Suite 201
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
Phone: (740) 393-6788
Email: clerkofcourts@co.knox.oh.us.

Meanwhile, online access to Knox County Civil court records is available on CourtView, the search tool provided by the office of the County Clerk of Court. Concerned persons may search for civil court records on this platform by entering an individual name, business name, case type, case status, party type, date of birth/death, and filing date range. The Knox County Municipal Court and Probate/Juvenile Court also provide remote access to the civil court records they hear. Search criteria like plaintiff/defendant’s name, case number, and filing date are the basic search requirements to use these online search tools.

Knox County Marriage Records

Knox County marriage records are preserved by the Probate/Juvenile Court, a division of the County’s Court of Common Pleas. Requestors may visit the Probate Court in person or send mail requests to obtain a certified copy of the Knox County Marriage certificate. The clerk of the Probate Court charges a fee of $3 per copy for certified marriage licenses/certificates.

The requestor should know details about the marriage such as the location, names of spouses, and date of marriage to facilitate the search. Mail requests are to contain the necessary valid identification, then enclosed in an envelope that is stamped and self-addressed.

Knox County Divorce Records

The Domestic Relations Division of the Knox County Court of Common Pleas has jurisdiction to decide cases of divorce, legal separations, and marriage annulments. The Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas manages Knox County Divorce records and makes them available to the public on request.

Concerned persons may submit request applications in person or via mail to the Clerk's office. The cost, availability, and accessibility of a divorce record may be ascertained by calling the Clerk's office at (740) 393-6788. Requestors should provide the clerk with an adequate description of the desired record, including names of divorcees, date, and location of divorce. Valid identification is also a requirement for obtaining copies of a divorce record from the Clerk's Office.

Knox County Birth and Death Records

The Public Health Department in Knox County preserves and issues copies of Knox County Vital records which include birth and death records. Knox County birth records are important legal documents necessary for school enrollments, passport/ driver's license applications, or obtaining public assistance. Death records, on the other hand, are requirements for claiming life insurance, estate administration, and other security benefits.

Per state laws, only records subjects and other authorized applicants such as spouses, parents, siblings, children, guardians or attorneys may obtain copies of a birth or death record in Knox County. Certified copies of Knox County birth certificates, as well as death certificates, are issued to eligible applicants at $25 per copy. Acceptable payment means include cash, credit/debit cards, checks, and money orders made payable to Knox Public Health. Eligible individuals may fill out an application form and submit it alongside the required fees and identification to the public health department’s office.

Knox County Health Department
11660 Upper Gilchrist Road
Mount Vernon, OH 43050
Phone: (740) 392-2200
Fax: (740) 392-9613

Knox County Probate Court Records

The Knox County Probate/Juvenile Court is a division of the County Court of Common Pleas. It has jurisdiction over probate cases such as wills, trusts, name changes, adoption, guardianship/conservatorship, estates administration, and birth and marriage registrations.

Residents of Knox County may visit the Clerk of the Probate Court’s office to inspect and copy a desired record. Mail requests containing proof of payment and adequate information about the record may also be submitted to the clerk's office. Additional information on obtaining copies of probate court records may be obtained by phoning (740) 393-6798 or faxing (740) 393-6832. Remote access to Probate Court records is also available on the Probate/Juvenile Court Records search page by providing details such as case type, party name, case number and filing date.

Clerk of the Probate Court
111 East High Street
Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050
Phone: (740) 393-6798
Fax: (740) 393-6832

Knox County Property Records

Knox County property records comprise information about the ownership, encumbrances and titles attached to real estate and properties registered in the County. The County Recorder's office manages Knox County Property records and provides public access to those records. Concerned persons may query the Recorder's office within official hours or send mail applications to request copies of property records.

Knox County Recorder
117 East High Street
Suite 114
Mount Vernon, Ohio 43050
Phone: (740) 393-6755

The Public Image search portal is a remote option that provides public access to records maintained by the Recorder's office. Interested persons may obtain property information filed from September 1981 to present or records filed before September 1981.

Knox County Court Records Online

Independent record providers or third-party resources such as Ohiocourtrecords.us may be a convenient option for remotely accessing Knox County Court records. These aggregate sites offer comfortable, easy, and timely access to records. Anyone with a stable Internet connection and a device may search for court records from any convenient location on these aggregate sites. Most of these sites allow direct view and download of records from their database, saving the user both time and effort.

Third-party websites usually allow users to access information with minimal requirements, such as a name or case number. These aggregate sites are, however, not affiliated with any governmental agency. Hence, the authenticity, accuracy, completeness, and currency of the information they provide may vary.