Medina County Court Records

Medina County court records refer to the official documentation of cases that go through the county judiciary. These records are significant for various legal matters, serving as a reliable source of information and promoting transparency in the judiciary. Court records include docket entries, transcripts, orders, judgments, exhibits, etc.

Generally, information in Ohio court records will depend on the type of case. Nevertheless, persons who obtain Medina County court records can expect to find information about who filed the case, against whom, the representing attorneys, the presiding judge, the case outcome, and other activities between case filing and adjudication.

Are Court Records Public in Medina County?

Yes. Per the Ohio Public Records Act, most court records, including civil, criminal, domestic relations, and probate cases, are available to the public. Any person, including foreign individuals and nonresidents, can request court records by following the record custodian’s request protocol. Unless a specific law states otherwise, a requester is not required to put their request into writing, give a valid reason for their request, or reveal their identity. Nevertheless, requests must be clear and specific. Furthermore, the custodian may require that the requestor cover the cost of providing copies in advance.

Despite the provisions enshrined in the Ohio PRA, not all court records are accessible to the public. The exemptions are detailed in Chapter 3 of the Ohio Sunshine Laws 2023. If a requested court record is by law inaccessible to the public, an explanation will be sent to the requester stating the statutory basis for denying the request. Generally, restrictions apply to the following:

• Confidential Records: These include records related to juvenile cases, adoption proceedings, and certain mental health cases.
• Sealed Records: Courts seal records when privacy concerns outweigh the public interest, such as juvenile records, adoption records, or certain sensitive family law matters.
• Restricted Personal Information: Personal information, such as social security numbers, financial account numbers, and other sensitive personal identifiers, are often redacted from public records to protect privacy.
• Ongoing Investigations: Records related to ongoing investigations or cases that have not yet been resolved might have restricted access to prevent compromising the integrity of the case.
• Protective Orders: Some details related to domestic violence cases and protective orders may be restricted to protect victim safety and privacy.

Medina County Court Records Search

The public can search for Medina court records online or in person by following the record custodian's request protocol.

• Online Search: The Medina County Clerk of Courts maintains a searchable database for cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas and the Municipal Courts.
• In-Person Search: Interested persons may visit the court where the case was adjudicated during business hours to submit a record request.

Medina County Court Records Search by Name

Courts in Medina County maintain online repositories for looking up case information and files. Likewise, the Clerk’s Office provides a docket search where interested persons may lookup court records using the party’s name, business name, or attorney’s name. Searches can also be done using the case number, attorney’s bar number, or courtroom. There is no fee for conducting an online search.

Similarly, Medina Municipal Court offers online search functionality by name for court records. Requesters are to enter the subject’s name on the case lookup site and follow the on-screen prompts. Alternatively, visit the Medina County Court Clerk's Office within work hours at:

135 North Elmwood Avenue
Medina, OH 44256
Phone: (330) 723-3287

Medina County Courts

Medina County has a structured court system that includes both Common Pleas Court and Municipal Courts, each handling specific types of cases. Medina County Common Pleas Court is the trial court of general jurisdiction. The court comprises four divisions, including the general division, the domestic relations division, the probate division, and the juvenile division. All four divisions are located at:

Medina County Courthouse
225 East Washington Street
Medina, OH 44256.

Municipal Courts in Medina, Ohio, handle minor crimes, traffic violations, civil cases for dispute amounts under $15,000, and small claims lawsuits for amounts under $6,000. The address and contact information of these courts are listed below.

Medina Municipal Court
135 North Elmwood Avenue
Medina, OH 44256
Phone: (330) 723-3287
Fax: (330) 225-1108
Email: mmc@medinamunicipalcourt.org.

Wadsworth Municipal Court
120 Maple Street
Wadsworth, OH 44281
Phone: (330) 335-1596
Fax: (330) 335-2723
Email: courts@wadsworthcity.org.

Medina County Court of Common Pleas Case Search

Persons who wish to find court records of cases adjudicated in the Medina County Court of Common Pleas may visit the courthouse or the clerk’s office during business hours. There, they must present administrative staff with details like the plaintiff’s name, filing date, or case number. These details aid record retrieval.

Once court records are found, requestors will have the option of viewing them for free or obtaining copies. The Clerk’s Office charges $1.00 per page for certified copies and $0.25 per page for regular copies of court records. This fee is payable by check, money order, or credit card. It is also possible to find Common Pleas Court case records by performing a name-based search on the case lookup site. For additional inquiries, contact the Clerk’s Office at:

Medina County Clerk’s Office
135 North Elmwood Avenue
Medina, OH 44256
Phone: (330) 723-3287

Medina County District Court Records

Medina County does not have a district court as seen in some other states. The equivalent court that handles most major civil and criminal cases is the Medina County Common Pleas Court.

Medina County Criminal Records

Medina County criminal records maintained by law enforcement agencies are available to the public in compliance with Ohio’s Public Records Law. These records include Medina County arrest records, charges, and convictions. However, if a criminal case goes to trial or any adjudication happens in court, there will be a public record maintained by the Clerk of Courts that will be accessible to the public.

To obtain criminal records, contact the Medina County Sheriff's Office. The Sheriff’s Office accepts requests by mail, email, or in person. Generally, requestors will be required to schedule an appointment, complete the online webcheck form, and visit the Office for fingerprint capturing. Requestors must appear in person with a photo ID, preferably an Ohio driver's license with their date of birth.

For additional information, visit or call the Sheriff’s Office:

555 Independence Drive
Medina, Ohio 44256
Phone: (330) 764-8631
Email: rbyrne@ohmedinaco.org.

Medina County Criminal Court Case Lookup

Criminal court case information can be found through the docket search on the Medina County Clerk of Courts website for cases filed in the Common Pleas Court. Medina County Case Records Search allows requesters to look up cases by party names or case numbers.

Alternatively, requesters can contact the Medina County Clerk of Courts. They can search their database and provide access to the case file. For misdemeanor or traffic cases that went to trial, contact the Medina Municipal Court or Wadsworth Municipal Court. Providing the defendant’s name, incident date, and case number will filter the search and help expedite the process.

Get Medina County Civil Court Records

The Medina County Clerk of Courts is responsible for maintaining and providing access to civil court records in Medina County, Ohio. Civil court records encompass legal proceedings involving disputes between individuals or entities, excluding family law matters. The process will require requesters to fill in the required details on the request form on the Clerk of Courts’ webpage.

Alternatively, visit the Clerk’s Office in person during business hours:
225 East Washington Street
Medina, OH 44256
Phone: (330) 725-9736
Fax: (330) 764-8791

Medina County Family Court Records

Family law cases go through the Domestic Relations division of the Court of Common Pleas. This court oversees various family-related legal matters like the dissolution of marriage, divorce, legal separation, annulment, parentage, third-party legal custody, spousal and child support, domestic violence civil protection orders, dating violence civil protection orders, and post-decree matters.

Family court records hold significant value for various reasons that include provision of documentation for ongoing legal matters related to the case. (e.g., child support modifications), they might be helpful in tracing family history, particularly for parentage cases and in financial matters. Medina County Clerk of Court website offers a public docket search for domestic relations cases, or a request can be made in person at the courthouse address listed in the previous section.

Medina County Dissolution of Marriage Records

Medina County dissolution of marriage records are maintained by the Domestic Relations Division of the Medina County Clerk of Courts. The public docket search allows lookup of basic details like case types, parties involved (names might be redacted for privacy), and filing dates. Physical copies are available at the courthouse.

Medina County Marriage and Divorce Records

For marriages that took place after 1965, contact the Medina County Probate Court. Medina County marriage certificates are available in person at the court located at:

225 East Washington Street
4th Floor
Medina, OH 44256.

Alternatively, mail requests can be submitted with a completed form, a $3 fee, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Divorce records prior to 2008 are held by the Archives Department of the Medina County Clerk of Courts. Printed copies cost $0.10 per page. An additional $2 is charged for certification (if needed) and $3 for credit card processing fees. Divorce records for events after 2008 are accessible through the court's online docket system.

Medina County Birth and Death Records

Medina County birth and death records are available through the county health department. To obtain birth and death records, visit the Health Department during business hours and submit an application. The cost of these vital records is $25.00 per copy. The requestor must provide basic information about the record subject—at least their name; other details like date of birth or date of death would be helpful.

Persons who wish to obtain birth and death records in Medina County may also send a request by mail or call the Health Department. A $1.00 service fee applies in addition to the regular copying fees.

Medina County Health Department
4800 Ledgewood Drive
Medina, OH 44256
Phone: (330) 723-9688
Fax: (330) 723-9659

Medina County Probate Court Records

The Medina County Probate and Juvenile Court handles various probate-related cases, including overseeing the execution of a will, if there is no will, determining heirs and distributing the estate according to Ohio’s intestacy laws, establishing guardians for individuals deemed incapable of managing their affairs, appointing conservators to manage the finances of someone deemed unable to do so independently, trust distribution, estate adjudication and processing legal name change petition.

The two ways to access these records are the free online docket search on the Medina County Probate and Juvenile Court and an in-person request at:

225 East Washington Street
4th Floor
Medina, OH
Phone: (330) 725-9703

Medina County Property Records

There are two main resources for Medina County property records, with one of them solely dedicated to maintaining Medina land records and the other to real estate in general:

The Medina County Auditor's Office allows the public to search for property information online and in person. This search can be conducted by owner name, parcel number, or address. A single detail is enough, but searching by parcel number is recommended. The parcel number is a unique 11-digit identifier which ensures a more specific and accurate result. Searchers can obtain property details like valuation, ownership history, tax information, and basic property characteristics.

Medina County Auditor's Office
144 North Broadway Street
Medina, OH 44256
Email: auditorcapretta@ohmedinaco.org
Phone: (844) 722-3800

The Medina County Recorder's Office maintains permanent land records, retains them in archival form, and makes them accessible to requesters seeking information on land records. These records are made available one business day after they are filed. There is a document search function that allows for search by name, document type, number, or date. This function allows users to find detailed legal documents related to land ownership. The search results may also contain information on any outstanding financial obligations on the property and legal descriptions.

Medina County Court Records Online

Third-party websites like Ohiocourtrecords.us offer access to Medina County court records. These websites collate court data from various sources and make the data available to the public. They may provide features like docket information, public records from other counties, case summaries, docket alerts, and even advanced search options that allow search by case type, date range, and other criteria beyond just names.

Online resources, in general, revolutionized access to court records. Users can now retrieve documents from any location and device with an internet connection, eliminating the need to visit courthouses.

However, online resources have limitations, as data on third-party websites may not be real-time or entirely accurate. Verifying information with the official court website or by visiting the courthouse in person is always best. Some third-party sites may charge subscription fees to access certain features or in-depth information. Furthermore, there is a general privacy concern associated with sharing personal information on third-party websites, especially if they are not reputable sources.