Darke County
Darke County, which was established in 1809, is located in western Ohio. Its total area of 600 square miles - encompassing 598 square miles of land - is populated with more than 51,000 inhabitants. Greenville is both its county seat and largest city.
The Darke County trial court structure comprises a court of common pleas, a municipal court, and mayors' courts. The Darke County Court of Common Pleas, which is a general jurisdiction court, oversees all civil and criminal cases, in addition to exercising exclusive jurisdiction over domestic relations, probate, juvenile, and mental health cases.
Its civil jurisdiction covers cases such as civil claims exceeding $15,000, while all felony cases fall within its criminal jurisdiction. The Darke County Court of Common Pleas also encompasses two distinct court divisions, namely:
- The Court of Common Pleas - General Division
- The Court of Common Pleas - Probate/Juvenile Division
The Common Pleas Court's General Division oversees civil suits, adult criminal cases, and administrative agency appeals. It also handles domestic relations cases, such as divorce, child support, and child custody cases. In contrast, the Probate/Juvenile Division hears cases relating to probate matters and minor-based offenses, including wills, estates, trusts, juvenile traffic offenses, guardianships, paternity, adoptions, and mental illnesses.
The Darke County Municipal Court has limited civil and criminal jurisdiction in the county. It hears civil cases, including civil claims below $15,000, money or personal property recovery, contracts, interpleader, temporary protection orders, and forcible entry and detainer. Typical Municipal Court cases include initial felony hearings and parking violations, certain township resolutions and municipal ordinance violations, and traffic and non-traffic misdemeanors. In addition, it has exclusive jurisdiction and original jurisdiction over civil claims below $500 and for $15,000, respectively. Its small claims division handles civil suits for amounts up to $3,000.
The Mayor's Courts in Darke County generally handle specific criminal cases within county sections outside the Municipal Court's jurisdiction. Some municipal ordinance violations, certain parking violations, and criminal traffic cases, such as driving while under the influence.
Darke County court records are case files of various legal documents detailing activities in court trials. Typical legal documents under file include docket and charging sheets, court calendars and minutes, and decrees and judgments. Various court records are created and filed in Darke County, including:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Probate records
- Juvenile records
The Darke County Clerk of Courts maintains all court records for the Court of Common Pleas and Municipal Court. Per state law, court records are classified as open records and can be accessed by individuals upon request. Case record lookup/access is available to record seekers online via the Common Pleas Court's case search service. Requesters can also examine and obtain hardcopy court records by visiting the Clerk of Court's Office in person or at the courthouses where their cases were filed.
