| Clerk of Courts | Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts — eSearch (Case Records Search System) |
|---|---|
| Probate Court | Probate Court of Cuyahoga County — Web Docket |
| Clerk address | Clerk of Courts / Common Pleas: Justice Center, 1200 Ontario St, Cleveland, OH 44113. Probate Court: 1 Lakeside Ave, Room 101, Cleveland, OH 44113 |
| Phone | Listed on the clerk website |
| Hours | Clerk of Courts: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. |
| Earliest records noted | 1988 |
| Plain copy fee | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy fee | $1.00 per page, including the certificate and seal, for Common Pleas Clerk of Courts records (Ohio Revised Code 2303.20(Z)) |
Cuyahoga County (Cleveland) runs its Common Pleas records through the Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts, whose eSearch docket system covers civil, criminal, and domestic-relations cases filed in the Court of Common Pleas, plus Eighth District Court of Appeals cases. The Clerk of Courts and Common Pleas Court are based at the Justice Center at 1200 Ontario Street in downtown Cleveland.
Cleveland itself has its own Cleveland Municipal Court, a separate elected office with its own case search, for misdemeanors, traffic tickets, and civil claims arising within the city. Cuyahoga County also has several other municipal courts covering other cities and townships (for example Berea, Bedford, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Lakewood, Parma, and Shaker Heights each have their own municipal court), none of which is searchable from the county Clerk of Courts site.
The Probate Court of Cuyahoga County is a separate court with its own web docket for estates, guardianships, name changes, and marriage licenses. As in the rest of Ohio, it does not share a search system with the Clerk of Courts or with any municipal court.
Search Cuyahoga County court records online
Clerk of Courts
Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts — eSearch (Case Records Search System)
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Common Pleas civil, criminal, and domestic-relations cases, plus Eighth District Court of Appeals cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Appeals
Docket information line (216) 443-7974. Office at the Justice Center, 1200 Ontario Street, Cleveland, OH 44113.
Probate Court
Probate Court of Cuyahoga County — Web Docket
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Estates, guardianships, name changes, adoptions, and marriage licenses
- Records
- Probate
Located at 1 Lakeside Avenue, Room 101, Cleveland, OH 44113, phone (216) 443-8764.
Other courts
Cleveland Municipal Court — Public Access / Case Information
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Misdemeanor, traffic, and civil cases filed within the city of Cleveland
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Traffic
Choose "Case Information," accept the terms, then use "Smart Search" by record number or name. Clerk's office at the Justice Center, 1200 Ontario Street, Level 2, Cleveland, OH 44113, phone (216) 664-4790.
What is available online
The Clerk of Courts eSearch covers Common Pleas civil, criminal, domestic-relations, and Eighth District appellate dockets. Cleveland Municipal Court and every other municipal court in the county (Berea, Bedford, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Lakewood, Parma, Shaker Heights, and others) each keep and publish their own separate case records. The Probate Court's web docket is likewise separate from all of the above. There is no single county-wide search across all of these courts.
Which clerk has your record
In Ohio, the clerk who keeps a file depends on which court heard the case. Check the court name on the case notice, citation, or order, then use the office and coverage details above to identify the record holder. Court names and responsibilities differ by state; a county clerk may not keep court case files. For federal cases, see the PACER guide. The full court structure is on the Ohio page.
| Court | Typical cases | Records kept by |
|---|---|---|
| Courts of Common Pleas — General Division | Felony criminal cases; Civil suits over the county/municipal-court jurisdictional limit; Civil appeals from administrative agencies | Clerk of Courts of the Court of Common Pleas |
| Courts of Common Pleas — Domestic Relations Division | Divorce, dissolution, and legal separation; Child custody and support (non-juvenile); Spousal support | Clerk of Courts of the Court of Common Pleas (same office as the General Division in most counties) |
| Courts of Common Pleas — Probate Division | Estates and wills; Guardianships and conservatorships; Adoptions and name changes | Probate Court (the probate judge's office keeps its own records; not the Common Pleas Clerk of Courts) |
| Courts of Common Pleas — Juvenile Division | Delinquency and unruly-child cases; Abuse, neglect, and dependency; Some custody and support matters | Juvenile Court clerk (often combined with Probate in smaller counties, separate in larger ones) |
| Municipal Courts and County Courts | Misdemeanors; Traffic tickets; Civil claims up to $15,000 | Clerk of the individual Municipal or County Court |
| Mayor's Courts | Minor traffic and ordinance violations within some municipalities | Village or city fiscal officer / mayor's court clerk |
Request records in person or by mail
Cuyahoga County clerk offices
Clerk of Courts / Common Pleas: Justice Center, 1200 Ontario St, Cleveland, OH 44113. Probate Court: 1 Lakeside Ave, Room 101, Cleveland, OH 44113
Hours: Clerk of Courts: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Common Pleas records. Search the Clerk of Courts eSearch system, or visit the Clerk of Courts office at the Justice Center, 1200 Ontario Street, Cleveland. Public-access kiosks are also available at courthouse locations for in-person searching.
Cleveland Municipal Court records. Use the Municipal Court's own case-information search, or contact the Clerk of Courts at the Justice Center, Level 2.
Other municipal courts. Contact the specific city's municipal court directly; each has its own clerk and its own records system.
Probate records. Use the Probate Court's web docket, request a "Full Case Copy" online, visit the Probate Court in person at 1 Lakeside Avenue, or mail a request with the case number, party or decedent name, and the document needed.
Fees
| Item | Typical cost in Ohio |
|---|---|
| Plain copy | Set by the clerk — ask when you request |
| Certified copy | $1.00 per page, including the certificate and seal, for Common Pleas Clerk of Courts records (Ohio Revised Code 2303.20(Z)) |
The $1-per-page certified-copy fee in R.C. 2303.20(Z) applies to Common Pleas clerks of courts. Municipal, County, and Probate Courts set their own copy fees by local rule or court cost schedule, and plain (uncertified) copy costs vary by county — some counties charge $0.10–$0.25 per page, others provide free online plain copies. Confirm the current fee with the specific clerk before sending payment.
Need a copy an agency will accept? See how to get certified copies of court records.
Sealed and restricted records
Ohio court records are presumed open to the public under Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio, Rules 44–47 (the "Public Access Rules"), but several categories are removed from public view:
The Ohio guide lists every category of sealed and restricted record, and our guide to expunging or sealing a criminal record explains how to remove one from public view.
Frequently asked questions
How do I search Cuyahoga County Common Pleas cases online?
Use the Clerk of Courts' eSearch / Case Records Search System, which covers civil, criminal, and domestic-relations cases in the Court of Common Pleas plus Eighth District Court of Appeals cases.
Where do I find a Cleveland misdemeanor or traffic ticket?
Search Cleveland Municipal Court's own case information tool. It is a separate office from the county Clerk of Courts and does not appear in the county's eSearch results.
Does the county Clerk of Courts cover every city's municipal court?
No. Cuyahoga County has several independent municipal courts (Cleveland, Berea, Bedford, Euclid, Garfield Heights, Lakewood, Parma, and Shaker Heights among them), each with its own clerk and online search, separate from the county Clerk of Courts.
Who keeps Cuyahoga County probate and marriage license records?
The Probate Court of Cuyahoga County, a separate court from the Clerk of Courts, with its own web docket for estates, guardianships, adoptions, name changes, and marriage licenses.
Sources
- Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts — eSearch — https://cpdocket.cp.cuyahogacounty.gov/Search.aspx
- Cuyahoga County Clerk of Courts — https://cuyahogacounty.gov/coc
- Probate Court of Cuyahoga County — Web Docket — https://probate.cuyahogacounty.gov/pa/
- Cleveland Municipal Court — Public Access — https://clevelandmunicipalcourt.org/public-access
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Judicial System Structure — https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/judicial-system/judicial-system-structure/
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Ohio Trial Courts & Local Rules — https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/judicial-system/ohio-trial-courts/
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Ohio Court of Appeals — https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/judicial-system/ohio-court-of-appeals/
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Reporter of Decisions Opinion Search — https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/
- re:SearchOH (Tyler Technologies) — https://researchoh.tylerhost.net/CourtRecordsSearch/Home/
- Ohio Attorney General — Background Checks / BCI WebCheck — https://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/backgroundcheck
- Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio (Rules 44-47, Public Access) — https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/docs/LegalResources/Rules/superintendence/Superintendence.pdf
- Ohio Revised Code 2953.32 — Sealing of Conviction Record — https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2953.32
- Ohio Revised Code 2303.20 — Common Pleas Clerk Fees — https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-2303.20
- Ohio Revised Code 149.43 — Public Records Act — https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-149.43
See also: all Ohio counties.