Portage County
Composed of five cities, six villages, 18 townships, and several unincorporated areas, Portage County is home to about 162,000 people. It is included in the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area and derives its name from the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers. Kent State University is a major driver of the county's economy through employment and tourism.
The Court of Common Pleas is the only court within the Portage County trial court system with general jurisdiction over several types of cases. It comprises four specialized divisions, namely the General Division, Domestic Relations Court, Probate Court, and Juvenile Court. All criminal felony cases and civil cases in which the amount in controversy exceeds $5,000 are heard in the General Division. The Domestic Relations Court handles legal matters about family relationships, including divorce, annulment, spousal support, parentage, and spousal support.
The Probate Court serves Portage County residents by presiding over adoptions and intellectual disability commitments, issuing marriage licenses, and monitoring the administration of decedent estates, while the Juvenile Court hears all cases regarding juvenile traffic cases, dependency, child abuse and neglect, and juvenile delinquency.
The Kent and Ravenna Municipal Courts adjudicate misdemeanor cases, set bonds on felony cases, and hold hearings for civil matters up to $15,000 and small claims cases up to $6,000.
The Portage County public court records are kept and preserved in the Office of the Clerk of Courts. Any member of the public may visit the Office of the Clerk during regular business hours and request to view or duplicate the records of cases such as criminal, probate, family, traffic, or civil cases. Additionally, you can access the case information from all the courts within the county by utilizing the eAccess portal. This resource allows the user to search by name, case number, citation number, or case type.
