| Clerk of Courts | Hamilton County Clerk of Courts — Records Search |
|---|---|
| Probate Court | Hamilton County Probate Court — Record Search |
| Clerk address | Clerk of Courts / Common Pleas Civil: 1000 Main St, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Criminal/Traffic Division: Hamilton County Justice Center, 1000 Sycamore St, 1st Floor, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Probate Court: 230 E 9th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202 |
| Phone | Listed on the clerk website |
| Hours | Clerk of Courts: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Criminal/Traffic Division to 8:00 p.m.) |
| Earliest records noted | Varies by court — older files may be on paper or microfilm |
| 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)) |
Hamilton County (Cincinnati) is unusual among Ohio's large counties in that a single office, the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts, keeps records for both the Common Pleas Court (felony, major civil, and domestic relations) and the Hamilton County Municipal Court (misdemeanor, traffic, and smaller civil), and publishes both through the same records-search site.
The Hamilton County Probate Court is a separate office with its own record search, covering estates, wills, guardianships, and marriage licenses. Records are held at the Hamilton County Courthouse at 1000 Main Street, with the Justice Center at 1000 Sycamore Street handling criminal and traffic matters separately.
The most common mistake is not knowing which division — Common Pleas Civil, Common Pleas Criminal, or Municipal — filed the case before searching; the Clerk of Courts site organizes search tools by division rather than by a single unified box.
Search Hamilton County court records online
Clerk of Courts
Hamilton County Clerk of Courts — Records Search
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Common Pleas civil, criminal, and domestic-relations cases, and Hamilton County Municipal Court civil, criminal, and traffic cases
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family
Choose the appropriate search (case number, name, or division) from the Records Search page. Municipal Civil Division phone (513) 946-5700; Criminal/Traffic Division phone (513) 946-6040.
Probate Court
Hamilton County Probate Court — Record Search
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Estates, wills, guardianships, marriage licenses, and name changes
- Records
- Probate
Located at 230 E 9th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202, phone (513) 946-3600.
What is available online
The Clerk of Courts' Records Search covers Common Pleas civil, criminal, and domestic-relations cases as well as Hamilton County Municipal Court cases from one office, but searches are organized by division and by name or case number rather than a single combined index. Background-history style name searches across all case types are not offered online; the clerk's office notes that this kind of comprehensive search is only available in person. The Probate Court's search is entirely separate.
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
Hamilton County clerk offices
Clerk of Courts / Common Pleas Civil: 1000 Main St, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Criminal/Traffic Division: Hamilton County Justice Center, 1000 Sycamore St, 1st Floor, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Probate Court: 230 E 9th St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Hours: Clerk of Courts: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. (Criminal/Traffic Division to 8:00 p.m.)
Contact details were taken from the office's website and are re-checked on a schedule; confirm hours before visiting.
Common Pleas and Municipal Court records. Use the Clerk of Courts' Records Search by case number or name, or visit in person at 1000 Main Street (civil) or the Justice Center at 1000 Sycamore Street (criminal/traffic). Certified copies require an in-person or mailed request to the Clerk's office.
Probate records. Use the Probate Court's online Record Search, or visit or write to the Probate Court at 230 E 9th St, Cincinnati, with the case number or decedent/party 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
Does one office keep both Common Pleas and Municipal Court records in Hamilton County?
Yes. The Hamilton County Clerk of Courts keeps records for both the Common Pleas Court and the Hamilton County Municipal Court, searchable from the same Records Search page, organized by division.
Where is Hamilton County probate handled?
By the Hamilton County Probate Court, a separate office from the Clerk of Courts, with its own online Record Search for wills, estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses.
Can I do a criminal background check by name online in Hamilton County?
The Clerk of Courts' online search covers case records by name or case number, but a comprehensive background-style search is only available in person at the Clerk's office.
Where do Cincinnati traffic tickets and misdemeanors go?
To the Hamilton County Municipal Court, whose criminal and traffic cases are searchable through the same Clerk of Courts Records Search site used for Common Pleas cases.
Sources
- Hamilton County Clerk of Courts — Records Search — https://www.courtclerk.org/records-search/
- Hamilton County Probate Court — Record Search — https://www.probatect.org/recordsearch/
- Hamilton County Clerk of Courts — Municipal Court Clerk — https://www.courtclerk.org/our-office/municipal-court-clerk/
- 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.