Lake County Court Records

Lake County court records refer to any document, file, or material containing information about cases adjudicated in Lake County, Ohio. These records typically include case files, dockets, orders, motions, transcripts, warrants, case descriptions, litigants, and other court-related documentation (ORS Section 2303.10).

Court records are created and maintained throughout court cases and beyond. These records can take different formats, including paper, audio, and video. It is the legal right of Lake County residents to access these court records, and their accessibility helps promote transparency and accountability in the local judiciary.

Are Court Records Public in Lake County?

Yes. Lake County court records are public records per the Ohio Public Records Act (ORS Section 149.43). Per this law, any records created, received, and maintained by a public office, including courts, in the course of conducting their official duties are considered public records (ORC Section 149.43(A)(1)(g)).

As a result, interested members of the public may, upon request, access records of cases adjudicated in Lake County. The exemptions are records classified as confidential, restricted, or exempt under state law. These typically include:

• Juvenile records
• Trial preparation records
• Confidential law enforcement investigatory records
• Records the release of which is prohibited by state or federal law
• Adoption, probation, and parole proceedings records
• Personal identifying and sensitive records like SSN, bank account numbers, driver’s license, etc.
• Records that may endanger the life or physical safety of a witness or law enforcement personnel.

Lake County Court Records Search

Persons who wish to conduct a Lake County court records search have these options:

• Online search on the electronic portal of the Clerk of Court
• In-person search at the office of the Clerk of Court
• Email requests to the county Clerk of Court
• Third-party court records websites.

Lake County Court Records Search by Name

Interested individuals can use the names of parties or litigants involved in a court case to conduct searches to obtain or look up Lake County court records. The search can be performed online or in person at the court clerk’s office at:

Office of the Lake County Clerk of Courts
25 North Park Place
Painesville, OH 44077

For online name-based searches, individuals can utilize the Lake County Clerk of Courts eAccess Portal. Once on the portal, select the "Name" search option. Then, enter the last name of a party involved in the court case. While the first and middle names are optional, providing them can help narrow down the results. Enter the company name in the provided field if searching for a business entity. After entering the necessary names, click the search button to initiate the search. To refine results, apply additional search criteria, such as date of birth, file date, date of death, or case type.

Accessing Lake County court records on the eAccess Portal is generally free. However, if a physical copy of a case file is required, fees apply. Non-certified physical copies cost $0.10 per page, plus an additional $1.00 for certification, if needed. If mailed, postage costs are included. Requests for physical copies of case documents can be emailed to coc@lakerecordrequest.org.

Lake County Courts

The Lake County court system is made up of four main types of courts:

• The Court of Common Pleas (General division and domestic relations division)
• The Juvenile Court
• The Probate Court
• The Municipal Courts (Mentor, Painesville, and Willoughby).

The Court of Common Pleas adjudicates major civil and criminal cases, the Juvenile Court oversees matters involving minors, the Probate Court handles cases related to estates, wills, and guardianships, and the Municipal Courts adjudicate misdemeanor criminal cases and small civil disputes.

The contact information for Lake County courts is listed below:

Lake County Court of Common Pleas – General Division
47 North Park Place
Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 350-2500

Lake County Court of Common Pleas – Domestic Relations Division
47 North Park Place
Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 350-2708

Lake County Probate Court
Lake County Court of Common Pleas: Probate Division
Lake County Courthouse, West Annex
25 North Park Place
Painesville, OH, 44077
Phone: (440) 350-2626

Lake County Juvenile Court and Detention Center
53 East Erie Street
Painesville, Ohio 44077
Cleveland: (440) 918-3000
Painesville: (440) 350-3000
Madison: (440) 428-4895.

Mentor Municipal Court
Court 8500 Civic Center Boulevard
Mentor, OH 44060
Phone: (440) 974-5744

Painesville Municipal Court
7 Richmond Street
Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 392-5900

Willoughby Municipal Court
4000 Erie Street
Willoughby, OH 44094
Phone: (440) 953-4150

Lake County Court of Common Pleas Case Search

The Lake County Court of Common Pleas is the county's general trial court, handling felony criminal cases, civil cases over $15,000, domestic relations cases, and appeals from municipal courts. The court has a general division, a domestic relations division, and a probate division (mostly referred to as the Lake County Probate Court).

The Clerk of Courts is the custodian of records of court cases adjudicated in the Lake County Court of Common Pleas. Interested parties may search for court records of cases handled in the common pleas court using the options outlined below:

• In-person case searches at the Office of the Clerk of Court at 25 North Park Place, Painesville, OH 44077.
• Online name-based or case number-based searches through the Clerk of Courts eAccess Portal.

Whichever option is used, searchers can expect to find information about the parties involved in a court case, the materials or exhibits filed, case descriptions, motions, transcripts, and even court verdicts.

Lake County Municipal Court Records

Lake County has three municipal courts—the Mentor Municipal Court, the Painesville Municipal Court, and the Willoughby Municipal Court. These courts adjudicate misdemeanor cases, traffic and parking violations, landlord-tenant disputes, eviction cases, small claims up to $6000, and civil cases up to $15000.

To obtain case documents from the municipal courts in Lake County, interested parties can visit the clerk's office of the specific municipal court where the case was filed or heard.

Alternatively, individuals may use the online records search database of the particular municipal court, if available, to access records of cases adjudicated there. For instance, the Mentor Municipal Court's recordsSearch portal, the Painesville Municipal Court's case search portal, and the Willoughby Municipal Court's case access portal can be used to obtain court records online.

Lake County Criminal Records

Lake County criminal records, including those of arrest and convictions, are public records. Individuals interested in obtaining Lake County arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal records can visit the Lake County Sheriff's Office in person during office hours.

Lake County Sheriff
104 East Erie Street
Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 350-5601

Alternatively, individuals can perform a fingerprint-based background check through the Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). To do so, interested parties must submit a complete set of fingerprints at a WebCheck location. This service costs $22 per subject.

Lake County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The Lake County Clerk of Courts is the official custodian of records for felony cases adjudicated in the General Division of the Lake County Court of Common Pleas. Meanwhile, the clerk of each municipal court is the custodian of records for criminal traffic and misdemeanor cases handled in their respective court.

Individuals interested in felony case information can lookup records in-person at the Office of the Lake County Clerk of Courts or perform online name-based or case number-based searches through the eAccess Portal.

On the other hand, for criminal traffic and misdemeanor cases, interested parties can direct their requests to the clerk of the particular Lake County municipal court where the case was adjudicated. Alternatively, they may utilize the online repositories maintained by each municipal court to access these case records.

Get Lake County Civil Court Records

Civil court records contain case details from civil disputes between parties, such as motions, litigants, affidavits, judgments, and transcripts. These records cover various civil matters like divorces, personal injury lawsuits, and contract disputes. Interested members of the public can access these records online or at the Clerk of Court's Office.

To access Lake County civil court records online, visit the Lake County Clerk of Court eAccess Portal and conduct searches by name or case number for any civil case of interest. Additionally, utilize the online record search services provided by the municipal courts (listed above) to obtain or lookup records of civil disputes or small claims handled within their respective jurisdictions.

Alternatively, interested parties may access records of civil court cases by visiting the Lake County Clerk of Courts' office or the respective municipal courthouses (for small claims and civil cases up to $15,000).

Lake County Clerk of Courts
Lake County Courthouse - West Annex
25 North Park Place
Painesville, OH 44077
Phone: (440) 350-2657

Clerk of Court — Mentor Municipal Court
8500 Civic Center Boulevard
Mentor, Ohio 44060.

Clerk of Court — Painesville Municipal Court
7 Richmond Street
P.O. Box 601
Painesville, OH, 44077
Email: kmcbride@pmcourt.com
Phone: (440) 392-5878

Lake County Family Court Records

Family court records in Lake County are official documents from the Domestic Relations Division of the Lake County Court of Common Pleas. These records contain information about cases related to divorces, annulments, child custody, child support, adoptions, and paternity determinations. Most family court records in Lake County are public information, but cases involving minors or domestic violence are usually restricted.

Individuals can access Lake County family court records through the county Clerk of Courts office. This includes searching for and obtaining copies of specific case files. Also, individuals may use the Clerk of Courts online eAccess Platform to lookup family court case information online, if and when available.

Alternatively, interested parties can submit requests for family court case files directly to the Clerk of Courts via email.

Family court records in Lake County typically reveal details about the parties involved, filed documents, case descriptions, and court rulings about family law matters such as divorce. This information helps track the progression of cases in the county's judicial system.

Lake Dissolution of Marriage Records

To obtain records related to the dissolution of a marriage in Lake County:

• Submit in-person requests at the Office of the County Clerk of Courts
• Contact Lake County Clerk of Court’s office by phone at (440) 350-2657
• Visit and conduct name-based or case-file number searches on the Clerk of Courts’ eAccess Portal.

Lake County Marriage and Divorce Records

Lake County marriage records are official documents that record marriages performed within the county. These records typically contain the names of the spouses, the date and place of the marriage, the ages or dates of the couples, and the officiating authority.

In contrast, Lake County divorce records are official documents that record the legal dissolution of marriages in the county. A divorce record will typically include the names of the divorced parties, the date the divorce was granted, and the grounds for the divorce.

The Domestic Relations Division of the Lake County Court of Common Pleas maintains records of divorces, while the Lake County Probate maintains marriage records. However, the Lake County Clerk of Courts is the official custodian of both marriage and divorce records in the county. As public records, these records are accessible to interested parties upon request.

To obtain a copy of a Lake County marriage record/certificate, interested parties should fill out the marriage certificate request form and mail it to the court.

Attn: Marriage Records
Lake County Court of Common Pleas
25 North Park Place
P.O. Box 490
Painesville, Ohio 44077.

Alternatively, they may visit the probate court premises in person at:

Lake County Marriage Department
25 North Park Place
P.O. Box 490
Painesville, OH 44077.

Each copy of a certified marriage certificate costs $2.00. On the other hand, to obtain a Lake County divorce record, interested parties should direct their request to the Office of the County Clerk of Courts at:

Lake County Courthouse
25 North Park Place
Painesville, OH, 44077
Phone: (440) 350-2657

Lake County Birth and Death Records

Lake County birth and death records are official documents that record births and deaths occurring within the county. These vital records serve important legal and genealogical purposes, such as establishing individual identity and citizenship and processing inheritance claims.

The Lake County General Health District provides access to birth and death records. The office maintains records of deaths that occur within the county, as well as birth records across the state. To obtain a copy of a birth or death certificate:

• In-person: Visit the Lake County General Health District office located at 5966 Heisley Road, Mentor, OH 44060, between 8:00 A.M. and 3:30 P.M.
• By mail: Download and complete the application form with all the required information, then mail it along with the appropriate fees to:

Vital Statistics
Lake County General Health District
5966 Heisley Road
Mentor, OH 44060.

• By phone or email: Call (440) 350-2549. Have a credit card ready, as requests processed over the phone will be delivered via mail. Alternatively, send requests to lakevs@lcghd.org. Include a phone number for callbacks.

Each copy of a birth or death certificate costs a $21.50 fee. Requests must include the full name of the record subject and the requester's contact information.

Alternatively, records can be obtained from the Ohio Department of Health's Vital Statistics Office, which processes both in-person and mail requests. Requests should be directed to:

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

Note that copies of birth and death records are generally only available to authorized persons, such as the record subject, their immediate family members, or authorized representatives.

Lake County Probate Court Records

Lake County probate court records are official files on cases related to the administration of estates, guardianships, trusts, and other probate matters adjudicated in the county's probate court. These files are maintained and disseminated to the public by the Office of the Clerk of the Probate Court.

To obtain copies of the official case files maintained by the Lake County Probate Court, interested persons may submit a record request in-person, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, to the Office of the Clerk of the Probate Court located at:

Lake County Courthouse, West Annex
25 North Park Place
Painesville, OH, 44077

Additionally, individuals may submit their request by mail to the following mailing address:

Lake County Court of Common Pleas: Probate Division
P.O. Box 490
Painesville, OH, 44077
Phone: (440) 350-2626

Alternatively, interested parties may lookup the county’s probate records online via the CourtView ePortal.

Lake County Property Records

Lake County property records are official documents and information regarding real estate and lands within the county. These records typically contain property files and documents, such as deeds, mortgages, assessments, plats and surveys, permits, and liens.

The Lake County Recorder's Office is the official custodian of these property records. Since property records fall under the statutory definition of public records, the Recorder's Office makes them accessible upon request to any interested member of the public.

Hence, interested parties may obtain Lake County property records through in-person requests directed to the Lake County Recorder’s Office at:

105 Main Street
P.O. Box 490
Painesville, Ohio 44077
Phone: (440) 350-2510 or (800) 899-LAKE (5253) Ext. 2510

Alternatively, they may submit their requests via e-mail or utilize the Lake County AVA (Virtual Access) Portal to remotely lookup and obtain property records dating back to 1986.

Lake County Court Records Online

Beyond official sources, interested parties can access Lake County court records through third-party aggregate websites like Ohiocourtrecords.us. These sites compile public records across multiple jurisdictions, including court and property data, and often require access fees for individuals to obtain records within their database. While these sites may present a convenient option for record seekers, their records may be incomplete or outdated, so any information obtained from these third-party sites should be verified against official government sources.