| Clerk of Courts | Stark County Clerk of Courts — CJIS Case Search |
|---|---|
| Probate Court | Stark County Probate Court — Case Search |
| Clerk address | Clerk of Courts: 115 Central Plaza North, Suite 101, Canton, OH 44702 |
| Phone | Clerk of Courts: (330) 451-7801 |
| Hours | Confirm current hours with the clerk before visiting |
| Earliest records noted | 1985 |
| 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)) |
Stark County (Canton) is one of the more convenient Ohio counties to search because of CJIS, a shared Criminal Justice Information System built by the Stark County Clerk of Courts together with the county's three independent municipal courts (Canton, Massillon, and Alliance). A single search on CJIS can return cases from the Common Pleas Court and all three municipal courts at once, though each court keeps and is legally responsible for its own database.
Common Pleas computerized dockets begin January 1, 1985 for criminal, civil, domestic relations, and Fifth District Court of Appeals cases; earlier case indexes are on paper at the County Office Building in Canton. Probate is entirely separate: the Stark County Probate Court is not part of CJIS and runs its own case search, recently migrated to a new case management system in mid-2026 with a legacy search kept for older cases.
The main thing to watch for is which search — new or legacy — a Probate Court case falls under, since cases opened before July 27, 2026 are on the legacy system and newer cases are on the new one.
Search Stark County court records online
Clerk of Courts
Stark County Clerk of Courts — CJIS Case Search
- Cost
- Free to search; free registration for advanced features (e-filing, saved cases, email alerts)
- Coverage
- Common Pleas Court (civil, criminal, domestic relations), plus Canton, Massillon, and Alliance Municipal Courts, all from one combined search
- Records
- Civil, Criminal, Family, Traffic
Guest search is free; registration unlocks e-filing, a case "briefcase," and email/case-update alerts. Common Pleas dockets begin January 1, 1985. Clerk of Courts office at 115 Central Plaza North, Suite 101, Canton, OH 44702, phone (330) 451-7801.
Probate Court
Stark County Probate Court — Case Search
- Cost
- Free to search
- Coverage
- Estates, guardianships, wills, and marriage records; cases opened on or after July 27, 2026 are on the new "JWorks" system, earlier cases on a separate legacy search
- Records
- Probate
Probate Court is not part of CJIS and keeps a wholly separate database from the Clerk of Courts and municipal courts.
What is available online
CJIS merges data from the Common Pleas Court and the Canton, Massillon, and Alliance Municipal Courts into one guest-searchable site, though each court remains the official record custodian for its own cases. Common Pleas computerized records begin January 1, 1985; earlier indexes are on paper at the County Office Building, 110 Central Plaza South #690, Canton. The Probate Court is not part of CJIS and runs a separate, two-part search (new cases vs. legacy cases before July 27, 2026).
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
Stark County clerk offices
Clerk of Courts: 115 Central Plaza North, Suite 101, Canton, OH 44702
Phone: Clerk of Courts: (330) 451-7801
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. Search CJIS as a guest, or register for a free account for additional features. Certified copies require a written request with a check or money order made payable as instructed and a self-addressed stamped envelope, sent to the Clerk of Courts at 115 Central Plaza North, Suite 101, Canton.
Probate records. Use the Probate Court's Case Search — choosing the new JWorks search for cases opened on or after July 27, 2026, or the Legacy Case Search for earlier cases — or contact the Probate Court directly by email at probatecourt@starkcountyohio.gov for a public-records request.
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
What is CJIS and what does it cover in Stark County?
CJIS is a shared case-search website built by the Stark County Clerk of Courts and the county's three municipal courts (Canton, Massillon, and Alliance), letting one search return cases from the Common Pleas Court and all three municipal courts at once.
How far back do Stark County Common Pleas records go online?
Computerized dockets begin January 1, 1985, for criminal, civil, domestic relations, and Court of Appeals cases. Earlier case indexes are on paper at the County Office Building in Canton.
Is Stark County Probate Court part of CJIS?
No. The Probate Division is not under the jurisdiction of the Clerk of Courts and keeps a completely separate case-search system.
Why does Stark County Probate Court have two search tools?
The court transitioned to a new case management system in mid-2026. Cases opened on or after July 27, 2026 use the new "JWorks" search; earlier cases are found through a separate legacy search.
Sources
- Stark County Clerk of Courts — CJIS — https://www.starkcjis.org/
- Stark County, Ohio — Clerk of Courts — https://www.starkcountyohio.gov/
- Stark County Probate Court — Case Search — https://rpc.starkcountyohio.gov/government/legal_judicial/probate_court/public_case_search.php
- 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.