Ross County Court Records

When individuals and corporate entities have disputes between themselves or the state intends to punish an alleged offender, the matter is taken to a court of competent jurisdiction to make final determinations. These determinations are typically based on the evidence presented and arguments put forward by litigants. The local judicial system determines the issues raised and ensures justice by interpreting and applying the law impartially and correctly.

To facilitate this process, the litigants produce documents, such as pleadings, complaints, Answers, Motions, and Affidavits, to explain their side of the story and provide the Court with enough information to work with. These documents are compiled into case files.

In addition to the litigants, court clerks produce documents to be added to the case files, including dockets, orders, calendars, judgments, and transcripts. This is essential for fulfilling their case management roles, ensuring accurate record keeping, and covering parts of the proceedings that the litigants' documents cannot highlight. All these documents, put together, are called "court records" and present a comprehensive account of legal proceedings in the courtroom.

Ross County court records promote transparency and accountability, ensuring that the citizens and residents of Ross County trust the judicial system's integrity. Court records also aid the legal training of prospective legal practitioners and serve as research/educative material for stakeholders, including policymakers. Furthermore, prospective employers and landlords can look up court records as part of the process for a comprehensive criminal background check.

The Ross County Clerk of Courts is the official custodian of court records in Ross County. The maintenance of these records, which form a part of Ohio court records, is regulated by the Ohio Revised Code and Supreme Court rules.

Are Court Records Public in Ross County?

Yes. Ross County court records are available for public inspection and copying based on the provisions of Section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code and the Supreme Court of Ohio's Public Access and Records Retention Rules. Consequently, any interested party can approach the appropriate record custodian for direct access to court records within a reasonable amount of time, during normal business hours, at the court location where the record was filed. The law also allows the court clerk to charge the actual costs of reproducing documents when individuals request paper copies of court records.

Members of the public may also be granted remote access to court documents at the court or clerk's discretion. This means that they may be allowed to search, inspect, and copy a court record anywhere they are via a website or any other available electronic means.

However, Ohio's Sunshine Laws exempt certain records from public access, including:

• Medical records
• Trial preparation records
• Adoption files
• Probation or parole records
• Judicial officers' notes and journals
• Specific juvenile documents
• Certain inmate records
• Intellectual property records
• Bills of exceptions, depositions, and transcripts (Rule 3 of the Ross County Rules of Practice of the Court of Common Pleas)
• Other records to which a competent court restricts public access

Records with restricted access may be accessible only to select individuals or entities, such as litigants, their attorneys, and criminal justice agencies.

Ross County Court Records Search

Several avenues exist for members of the public to search, inspect, and copy Ross County court records. The typical search methods include:

• A physical walk-in to the local courthouse where the case was filed during regular business hours
• Using the public access computer terminals available at the Clerk of Court's Office
• Accessing the Ross Online Record Search portal

Ross County Courts

The Ross County court system has the Court of Common Pleas as its trial court of general jurisdiction, where most cases are heard. The Ross County Court of Common Pleas is divided into three divisions: General, Juvenile, and Probate. There is also the Chillicothe Municipal Court, which handles civil cases in which the amount in dispute is $15,000 or less, small claims matters, and misdemeanor offenses.

A directory of the court locations above is listed below:

Ross County Court of Common Pleas
2 North Paint Street
Suite B
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: (740) 702-3010
Fax: (740) 702-3018

Ross County Court of Common Pleas (Juvenile and Probate Divisions)
2 North Paint Street
Suite A
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: (740) 774-1177
Fax: (740) 774-3711

Chillicothe Municipal Court
95 East Main Street
Chillicothe, OH 45601
Phone: (740) 773-3515
Fax: (740) 774-1101

Ross County Criminal Records

Members of the public can obtain Ross County criminal records by conducting a local criminal background check with the Ross County Sheriff's Office located at:

28 North Paint Street
Chillicothe, OH 45601

They can also call (740) 779-1931 for information on how to conduct the search.

Another way to access Ross County criminal records is to access the Inmate Roster on the Ross County Sheriff's official website. Information obtainable by looking up inmate rosters includes the inmate's:

• Full name
• Identifying information (race, gender, hair, eye, height, weight)
• Date of birth
• Arrest date and time
• Booking date and time
• Mugshot

Other details one can find in an inmate roster include:

• The arresting agency
• Jail location
• Court
• Charges
• Bail information

Inmate rosters are updated every 2 hours and provide information on persons currently in custody.

Alternatively, individuals can

make the Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Investigation their first point of call for obtaining available criminal records. The Bureau acts as Ohio's crime lab and criminal records keeper for civilians who wish to perform background checks. Anyone can explore Webcheck, a web-based database provided by the BCI for this purpose.

Webcheck applications cost $35 for Ohio criminal records only, $65 for both (BCI & FBI), and $10 for ink-rolled fingerprints per person. Acceptable forms of payment are credit/debit cards with a 2.5% transaction fee, cash, or money order for the exact amount only. One may not necessarily make an appointment before visiting the office. However, applicants are advised to call ahead to verify if a clerk is available to process their request.

Record seekers will be required to provide the following details:

• A legible photo ID or driver's license
• Contact address for the WebCheck results to be mailed.
• A parent or guardian if the Webcheck applicant is under the age of 18.

Other law enforcement agencies, like the Ross County Sheriff's Office, also provide local background checks for locally conducted arrests. Local Background Checks are free of charge and contain records of arrest for Ross County, Ohio only.

Written or oral requests can be made in person during business hours, over the phone, by mail, email, or fax. Putting requests in writing may expedite the processing. To do this, individuals may fill out and submit the Public Record Request form to the Sheriff's Office.

It is important to describe the record in detail, including applicable information such as the report number, names of the subject(s) involved, date, time, address, offenses, and other vital information to narrow the record search.

Ross County Civil Court Records

Civil cases, such as small claims for damages with a monetary value of up to $6,000 but not exceeding $15,000, are filed and heard in the Ross County Court. Conversely, civil claims for monetary damage exceeding $15,000 are filed with the Ross County Common Pleas Court.

Other non-criminal cases include breach of contract, personal injury, civil protection orders, child custody, and family/marital conflicts.

Interested persons seeking these civil court records can follow the process explained above. To retrieve records via the Case Inquiry System, one may choose "Civil" under the "Court Type" section.

Ross County Marriage Records

Anyone can get a Ross County marriage record by submitting a request to the Ross County Probate Court. Applicants can get marriage licenses by following the steps outlined below:

• In-person visit: Individuals can visit the Ross County Probate Court in the Probate-Juvenile Courts Building situated at 900 Memorial Drive, Lebanon, Ohio 45036. The Court is open for marriage applications during office hours. People who wish to obtain a certified copy of an existing marriage license can also apply in person and receive the certified copy immediately.
• Mail Request: To apply for a certified copy of the marriage license by mail, applicants must provide the legal names of the parties at the time of marriage application and the date of the marriage. Obtaining a certified marriage license may attract a charge of $2 per copy. Payment can be made in money order or a cashier's check accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope to:

Ross County Probate Court
900 Memorial Drive
Lebanon, Ohio 45036
Attn: Marriage License

Ross County Divorce Records

To get a divorce decree in Ross County, individuals can query the Clerk of the Common Pleas Court. Ross County divorce records are publicly accessible records obtainable in Court or via the online Case Records Inquiry System. Parties conducting this search specifically for divorce records should select "Dis Mar No Children" Or "Dis Mar With Child" under cause action/case type.

For additional information regarding the termination of marriage in Ross County, one can email the Court Administrator at courtadministrator@co.ross.oh.us. The FAQ section of the Domestic Relations Court provides more information on the dissolution of marriage within the county.

Ross Birth and Death Records

Ross County birth and death records are categorized as vital records. Individuals typically obtain them for several benefits and interests—while Ross County birth records are vital for confirming one's identity for school enrolment, government opportunities, and getting a driver's license, Ross death records aid in settling a decedent's will, estates, and even tracing one's ancestral roots.

Getting certified birth and death records may attract a charge of $22 per copy. Acceptable forms of payment are credit cards. checks and money orders made payable to the "Ross County Health District". Applicants are required to provide personal information including date of birth, state-issued identification number from a state ID, driver's license, Military ID, or Passport.

Certified copies of these Ross County vital records can also be ordered online on the Health District page. Finally, home-birth parents may request a home-birth packet from the Vital Statistics Office by contacting (513) 695-1249.

Ross County Probate Court Records

Ross County's Probate Court has a specialized jurisdiction. This jurisdiction sits in judgment over probate matters as listed below:

• The decedent's estate administration
• Guardianships,
• Trusts,
• Appointment and supervision of fiduciaries,
• Adoptions,
• Wrongful death settlements and allocations among statutory beneficiaries,
• Claims for injuries to minors
• Actions which allege a person's mental state
• Determination of adult protective services petitions
• Name change

This Court also issues marriage licenses. Since 1835, the probate court has been in existence and holds distinction as one of the oldest operating courts in Ohio. Ross County Probate Court records are issued to the public by the Probate Court Clerk during business hours.

Finally, researchers can access the online Ross County Probate Court Record database to retrieve probate information. Obvious search criteria include first and last names of the case party, case number, and file date.

Ross County Property Records

Inquirers may find Ross County property records through the several databases and offices within the county. For example, the Ross County Recorder's Office is responsible for preserving the vital records relating to real estate ownership (land) and its encumbrances or liens. In addition, the office retains permanent land records in archival form, which enables easy accessibility to the general public.

To obtain copies of land records remotely, inquirers may utilize the Ross County Recorders "AVA" webpage. There, researchers will find several alternatives for conducting a land records search. For optimum results, users are advised to use their "parcel number".

Interested parties can find the 10-digit parcel number by visiting the Ross County Auditor's webpage. On the website, users can search for an address or name. The result page typically includes a "parcel number" in the upper left-hand side of the data. Also, by entering the first and last name of the record subject on the "AVA" page, the result page may include the parcel number.

The Ross County Auditor's Property Search Portal is a collaborative platform run by the county auditor, treasurer, and recorder to ensure public access to Ross County property information. Individuals can search the site by property owner, property address, account number, parcel ID, map, subdivision name, or lot number. For more real estate inquiries, inquirers can reach the auditor at (513) 695-1235.

Ross County Court Records Online

Members of the public can access Ross County Court records online via third-party websites. These privately owned platforms, like Ohiocourtrecords.us, typically make it easy for the public to view Ross County court records remotely. However, users may be asked to pay a one-time viewing fee or opt for subscription access. Unlike government offices in the county, these data aggregator websites provide records from other Ohio jurisdictions.