Lincoln County
Created in 1831, Lincoln County is situated in east-central Oklahoma and has an estimated population of 34,562. Chandler serves as its county seat and was the location of the state's center of population in 2010.
Lincoln County's trial court structure comprises a district court and multiple municipal courts. The Lincoln County District Court is a general jurisdiction court that hears felony cases, misdemeanor suits, personal property recovery lawsuits, general civil claims for $10,000 or less, and contract cases.
The Municipal Courts, which are limited jurisdiction courts, preside over municipal-based criminal misdemeanors and traffic violations. Lincoln County's Municipal Courts are categorized into two types, namely:
- Municipal Courts of record
- Municipal Courts Not of record
The Municipal Courts of Record are also known as Municipal Criminal Courts of Record. Litigating parties are required to have legal representation, and the court clerks document oral proceedings. Cases heard in this court include certain criminal misdemeanors, traffic infractions, parking violations, and environmental ordinance offenses. In addition, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals handles appeals from the Municipal Courts of Record.
Conversely, In the Municipal Courts not of Record, where cases of municipal ordinance violations are heard, judges decide cases using their notes or memory. Also, parties are not mandated to be represented by attorneys and no record of proceedings is maintained. The District Court hears appeals arising from litigated cases.
Court records in Lincoln County are files, documents, and other forms of records that detail court case proceedings in the county's courts. Various forms of court records exist, including maps, photographs, microfilms, video/audio recordings, and paper documents. Typical court records routinely generated and preserved in Lincoln County courts include:
- Civil records
- Criminal records
- Juvenile records
- Probate records
The Lincoln County Clerk of District Court maintains court records for the District and Municipal Courts in the county. The Oklahoma Open Records Act legally grants the public the right to inspect and copy non-confidential court records. Online court records access is available through the Oklahoma State Courts Network's (OSCN) case search service. Additionally, record seekers can conduct online searches for court records using Lincoln County's website. They can also visit the Office of the District Court Clerk in person to examine and/or purchase copies of their desired records.
