Cleveland County
Cleveland County was established in 1890 as part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area. It is located in central Oklahoma and spans 538.9 square miles. Cleveland County is one of Oklahoma's most populous counties, with a population of about 295,060 as of 2022. The City of Norman, the county seat, is the home of the University of Oklahoma.
The Cleveland County court system includes District and Municipal courts. The District Court is a court of general jurisdiction that handles felony trials, small claims not exceeding $10,000, exclusive of interest and costs, suits requesting monetary damages based on a contract or tort, the return of personal property, and interpleader. It also exercises appellate jurisdiction over cases “not of record†originally tried in the Municipal Courts. Family law cases, including divorce, child custody, and domestic relations, are also handled at the district level. Municipal courts, on the other hand, manage cases involving local ordinance violations, traffic infractions, and misdemeanors. They include those located in Moore, Noble, and Norman.
Cleveland County court records are information on civil and criminal cases, motions, court orders, and judgments generated from court trials and hearings within the county. Common types of court records include:
- Civil Records
- Criminal Records
- Family Records
- Probate Records
- Traffic Records
The County Clerk of Courts maintains, files, and indexes court records, making them accessible to the public under the Oklahoma Public Records Act. However, certain confidential records, such as those involving juvenile matters, adoptions, and mental health cases, are restricted from public access. Records, including docket information, can be requested online or in person at the Clerk's office in Norman or by mailing a request for copies of these records. In addition to online access, anyone can visit the locations of the various courts in the county to view and request copies of the records of cases heard in those courts.
