Fairfield County
Established in 1800, Fairfield County is located in central Ohio. The county is home to more than 158,000 residents and occupies about 504 square miles of land. Its county seat and most populous city is Lancaster.
The Fairfield County judicial system comprises the Court of Common Pleas, Municipal Court, and Mayor's Courts. The Court of Common Pleas has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases in Fairfield County. It resolved all civil lawsuits involving more than $15,000 in financial disputes and felony-related cases. The Court's Domestic Relations Division handles divorce cases, child custody/support disputes, and juvenile cases. On the other hand, the Probate Division handles guardianships, conservatorships, estates administration, and wills. Appeals from other subordinate courts and local administrative agencies can be taken to the Common Pleas Court. Fairfield County has a Municipal Court tasked with resolving general civil claims for $15,000 or less. The Municipal Court usually presides over misdemeanors and felony preliminary hearings. The Mayor's Courts in Fairfield County operate in municipalities that do not have Municipal Courts. These courts handle civil violations such as traffic offenses, parking violations, and OUI (Operating Under the Influence) cases.
Fairfield County public court records are legal documents created, filed, or received during court proceedings. These documents typically contain initial complaints, charges, defendants/plaintiffs' names, petitions, evidence, court transcripts, orders, and judgments. The Ohio Revised Code § 149.43 allows members of the public to view, inspect, and request copies of court records maintained by the Clerk of Courts. Interested persons can request the following court records in Fairfield County:
- Criminal court records
- Probate court records
- Small claims court records
- Civil records
- Family law records
However, mental health and adoption records are not available to the public. Individuals interested in public court documents can email, phone, or visit the Court Clerk at:
Clerk of Courts Records Division
224 E. Main Street, 4th Floor
Lancaster, Ohio 43130.
Phone: (740) 652-7358
Email: ClerkRecords@FairfieldCountyOhio.gov
Court records copies in Fairfield County cost $0.10 per page. You can also find court records online via the county's Case Information Records Search. The online platform provides free access to court records filed in the Common Pleas and Municipal Courts. Users can access desired case files by choosing the county's trial court and then searching by case number or name.
