Franklin County OH Common Pleas Court: Case Search & Records

Columbus, Ohio • Franklin County Common Pleas Court

Franklin County OH Common Pleas Court: Case Search & Records

Looking for a Franklin County Common Pleas case, felony charge, civil lawsuit, divorce, judgment or hearing record? The Franklin County Clerk of Courts provides an official Case Information Online system (CIO), but the record you can see depends on the court division and whether the document is available for public viewing.

This guide explains how to search by name or case number, choose the correct Franklin County court, read the docket, request a certified judgment or divorce decree, check copy fees and locate the correct Columbus courthouse office.

Open Official Case Search Clerk’s Case Search Guide Common Pleas Court Website

Official case portal Case Information Online (CIO)

Common Pleas jurisdiction Felony criminal and major civil matters, plus separate family, juvenile and probate divisions

Records assistance Franklin County Clerk of Courts: (614) 525-3600

Important: the General Division court and the Clerk of Courts have different responsibilities. The judges handle cases; the Clerk maintains applicable filings and public records. For case documents, the Clerk is usually the correct starting point.

Independent public-information guide reviewed October 2026. Confirm court dates, restricted-record access, filing fees and certified-copy requirements directly with the official court.

Use the correct court first

Which Franklin County Common Pleas Court Division Has Your Case?

Franklin County’s Court of Common Pleas consists of multiple divisions. Their records and access rules are not identical. The Clerk’s CIO portal is the primary search route for General Division cases, domestic relations case information and Tenth District appeals, while Probate Court has its own index.

General Division

Civil Lawsuits & Felony Cases

Handles felony criminal matters and civil disputes involving amounts over $15,000, along with other matters assigned to the General Division.

Search the Clerk’s CIO system.

Domestic Relations

Divorce, Dissolution & Custody

Includes divorce, dissolution, separation, annulment, protection-order and applicable custody or support matters.

CIO provides supported case information, but domestic-relations document images are not publicly viewable through CIO.

Probate Court

Estates, Wills & Guardianships

Handles estates, guardianships, marriage records, name changes and other probate matters.

Official Probate Case Search

Juvenile Branch

Juvenile and Child-Related Cases

Handles juvenile delinquency, abuse, neglect, dependency, unruliness and related matters.

Domestic Relations & Juvenile Court

Tenth District Appeals

Appeals from Trial Courts

Franklin County’s Clerk also maintains records for the Tenth District Court of Appeals. These appellate cases can be searched through CIO.

Not Common Pleas

Municipal Court

Franklin County Municipal Court handles traffic cases, misdemeanor criminal cases and civil matters within its monetary jurisdiction.

Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk

Columbus-specific distinction: a traffic ticket, misdemeanor, eviction or small civil claim generally belongs in Municipal Court rather than Common Pleas General Division. Do not conclude that a case does not exist merely because it is missing from CIO.

Official Clerk Case Information Online

How to Search Franklin County Common Pleas Cases Online

Franklin County Clerk of Courts maintains Case Information Online, commonly called CIO. It offers name search, case-number search, advanced search and court scheduling information.

Direct official link: Franklin County Case Information Online .

Open the CIO portal. Read the disclaimer and continue into the public search interface when prompted.
Choose your search method. Use Name Search if you know the party’s name. Use Case Search when you have the complete court case number.
Select the correct court. The portal offers a Court dropdown. Choosing the correct division can reduce unrelated search results.
Enter the case or party details. For name search, use last name, first name and middle initial where known. For case search, follow the year, case-type and number fields.
Review matching cases. Compare case number, caption, court, filing date and party details.
Open the relevant docket. Look for journal entries, motions, judgments, hearing details, case status and other available records.
Identify the required document. Record the case number and the date or description of the filing you need.
Request official verification if necessary. Contact the Clerk if the document is missing online, a certified copy is required or the case is time-sensitive.

01Choose court

02Enter name or number

03Read docket

04Request official record

Case format matters: the CIO instructions separate a case number into its year, case-type code and sequential number. If you already have the official number, enter the components in the corresponding fields rather than treating them as a person’s name.

When the case number is unknown

Franklin County Common Pleas Case Search by Name

CIO provides name-search fields for the last name, first name, middle initial and the court. The Clerk’s search instructions specifically recommend using both the name and court when both are known.

Search for an Individual

Open official CIO .
Select Name Search.
Enter the last name and first name.
Add the middle initial if known.
Choose the likely court in the dropdown.
Compare the case type, party role and filing date.
Open the correct docket and save its case number.

Search for a Business

Begin with the legal business name.
Use the applicable name-search fields.
Try the name with or without corporate suffixes when necessary.
Choose General Division Civil where appropriate.
Compare the company name with the case caption.
Check whether the company is plaintiff, defendant or another party.
Confirm the correct case before requesting records.

A name match is not proof of identity. A similar name can belong to another person or organization. Before relying on a result, verify the court, case number, parties, case type, filing date and relevant disposition.

General Division criminal records

How to Find Franklin County Felony Criminal Cases

The Common Pleas General Division handles felony criminal cases. The Clerk explains that felony proceedings may arise from prosecution by the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney or Ohio Attorney General and that some cases originate in Municipal Court before being bound over.

Open the official Case Information Online portal .
Choose the criminal court category from the available court options.
Use a defendant name or the court case number.
Open the relevant docket and compare the case caption, defendant name and filing details.
Review journal entries for charges, proceedings, pleas, court decisions and sentencing information.
Look for later entries showing dismissal, amendment, verdict, sentencing, post-judgment proceedings or another disposition.
If you need an official sentencing entry or certified disposition, submit a request to the Clerk with the case number and document information.

Charge vs. Conviction

An indictment or filed criminal charge is an allegation. It does not establish that the accused person was convicted.

Municipal-to-Felony Transfer

A felony-related matter may begin in Municipal Court and later continue in Common Pleas Court. The two stages can have different case numbers.

Sealed Records

Criminal records sealed or restricted under applicable Ohio law may not appear through ordinary public searches.

For official case-specific help: call the Franklin County Clerk of Courts at (614) 525-3600. Have the criminal case number available if possible.

General Division civil cases

Franklin County Civil Lawsuits, Foreclosures and Judgments

The Common Pleas General Division handles civil cases involving amounts over $15,000 and other matters within its jurisdiction. The Clerk’s civil records include filings associated with judgments, liens, civil protection orders, foreclosure proceedings and other civil litigation.

Civil Lawsuits

Contracts and Major Claims

Search for complaints, motions, court orders, judgments and other civil docket entries.

Foreclosure

Property-Related Cases

Use the civil case docket to examine complaints, judgments and sale-related court activity.

Judgment Liens

Certificates and Releases

The Clerk provides procedures concerning certificates of judgment, lien releases and satisfaction of judgments.

Protection Orders

Civil Stalking Matters

Some protection-order information may have special access or confidentiality restrictions.

How to research a Franklin County foreclosure case

Visit the Clerk’s Case Information Online .
Choose General Division Civil from the available court search options.
Enter the case number or party name.
Verify the parties, complaint date and case type.
Read the journal entries for judgment, order-of-sale activity and subsequent developments.
If the goal is to verify an upcoming property sale, confirm sale-specific details with the official responsible office rather than relying on an old docket entry.

Foreclosure distinction: a complaint, judgment and completed property sale are separate events. A foreclosure case appearing online does not by itself prove that ownership has changed.

The Clerk’s General Civil/Criminal Division page provides related forms and official filing information.

Divorce and family court records

Franklin County Divorce, Dissolution and Domestic Relations Case Search

The Franklin County Domestic Relations Division handles divorces, dissolutions, legal separations, annulments, civil protection orders and related family matters.

These cases can have information in Case Information Online, but the Clerk makes an important distinction: documents filed in Domestic Relations are not viewable through CIO. Copies of most domestic documents can be obtained through the Clerk’s Records Division.

Open the official CIO portal .
Select the Domestic Relations court option when available.
Search by case number or the party’s name.
Confirm whether the matter is divorce, dissolution, legal separation or another domestic case.
Record the case number and identify the document needed, such as a divorce decree or judgment entry.
Visit the Clerk’s Domestic Relations Division instructions .
Ask the Records Division how to request the actual document and whether certification is needed.

Common search mistake: a domestic case appearing in CIO does not mean its divorce decree, parenting order or other filing can be downloaded. The Clerk specifically excludes domestic document images from CIO public viewing.

Domestic Relations Court: Franklin County Domestic Relations and Juvenile Branch .

Separate probate and juvenile procedures

How to Search Franklin County Probate and Juvenile Court Records

Franklin County Probate Court

Probate Court provides its own General Case Search for estates, guardianships, name changes and other supported probate matters.

Open the official Probate General Case Search .
Select the appropriate search method.
Search using the case name, case number, filing date or other supported fields.
For names, use the Court’s Last Name, First Middle Initial format.
Review the case details and identify the required record.
Contact Probate Court for certified records or documents not available in the public index.

Probate Court states that online case information is current as of the previous day.

Franklin County Juvenile Court

Juvenile records have separate access requirements. Not every juvenile case document can be requested or viewed by the general public.

Open the official Juvenile Court website .
Identify the type of juvenile matter involved.
Check whether access is legally restricted.
For a juvenile records request, follow the Clerk’s in-person instructions.
Bring valid picture identification as required.

The Clerk directs Juvenile Records requesters to 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, with valid picture ID. Juvenile requests cannot be submitted through the Clerk’s ordinary online public-records request form.

2026 Probate Court detail: the probate search can be intermittently unavailable during routine backups, particularly weekday evenings between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. Check again later or contact Probate Court if the system is temporarily unavailable.

Tenth District Court of Appeals

How to Find Franklin County Appellate Court Records

Franklin County’s Clerk also maintains case records for the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals. These may relate to appeals from Common Pleas and other qualifying lower courts.

Open Case Information Online .
Select the appropriate Appeals court category.
Search by appellate case number or party name.
Compare the appellate caption and any lower-court case details.
Review filings, orders, decisions and other docket entries.
For certified appellate documents, contact the Clerk’s Appeals Division.

Appeal deadline caution: the Clerk’s published appeals guidance generally identifies a 30-day deadline for filing a notice of appeal from an appealable judgment. Exceptions and special rules can apply. Anyone facing a deadline should check the governing rule and seek qualified legal assistance immediately.

Official Tenth District Appeals Division instructions .

Understand the result

How to Read a Franklin County Common Pleas Docket

A docket is the case’s chronological record of procedural activity. Knowing what each field means helps prevent mistakes when interpreting a criminal charge, civil judgment or pending motion.

Case Number

The court-assigned identifier used to retrieve the case and request documents.

Case Caption

The formal case title identifying principal parties.

Party Role

Shows whether a party is a plaintiff, defendant, petitioner or another participant.

Filing Date

The date a case or document was submitted to and accepted by the court.

Journal Entry

An official docket entry recording a court order or procedural action.

Motion

A request asking the court to take some action. Filing does not mean approval.

Judgment Entry

A court decision or order whose exact wording may determine the outcome.

Disposition

The outcome or procedural status of a charge, claim or case.

Hearing Date

A scheduled or recorded proceeding. Confirm time-sensitive appearances directly.

Three common mistakes: a charge is not a conviction; a filed motion is not necessarily granted; and a scheduled hearing does not prove a hearing actually occurred. Review later relevant entries.

Obtain the actual document

How to Request Franklin County Court Records and Certified Copies

CIO can help identify a case, but an online case summary or ordinary printout may not satisfy an employer, agency, title company or court that requires an authenticated document.

Prepare the following details

✓

Complete case number
Include the year and case-type information.

✓

Correct court division
General, Domestic, Appeals or another appropriate division.

✓

Party or defendant names
Use the names shown in the official docket.

✓

Exact document requested
Judgment, sentencing entry, decree, complaint, dismissal or other filing.

✓

Certification requirements
Confirm whether an ordinary, certified or exemplified copy is needed.

Official records request procedure

Search for the case at Case Information Online .
Write down the identifying information and exact filing you wish to obtain.
Open the Clerk’s Public Records Request Form or review the official records policy .
Describe the record with enough detail for the Clerk to identify it.
Specify how you want to receive the copy, and whether certification is required.
Confirm any copying, certification, postage or special-service fee.
Submit the request through the applicable Clerk procedure, and retain the response or official document.

Public-records request rights: the Clerk’s policy explains that a requester generally does not have to provide a reason for requesting public records and may request available records in a suitable form. Court records subject to sealing or confidentiality rules remain restricted.

Domestic records reminder: a public records request or Clerk Records Division inquiry may be necessary because documents filed in Domestic Relations are not viewable in CIO. Juvenile Records requests have a separate in-person process.

Published Clerk fees

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Copy and Filing Fees

The Clerk publishes separate General Division and Domestic Relations fee schedules. The following amounts distinguish copying records from opening or filing a court case.

Service	Published fee	What to know
Ordinary copy	$0.10 per page	Listed on the Clerk’s General Division fee schedule.
Certified copy	$1 per document	Published fee schedule; confirm applicable copying and certification charges.
Exemplified copy	$4 per document	A different authenticated-copy service.
Public-record PDF by email	No copying charge	Under the Clerk’s published public-records request policy for records furnished by email or fax.
Mailing records	Actual postage and mailing supplies	Applicable when copies are mailed at the requester’s direction.
General civil complaint	$225	For the listed ordinary civil complaint categories.
Foreclosure complaint	$300	Civil Category E foreclosure filing.
Domestic dissolution filing	$225	Base filing fee; service-of-process costs may be additional.
Divorce filing	$275	Base Domestic Relations filing fee.
Expungement or sealing of criminal conviction	$50	Listed General Division filing fee.

Check the current General Division Fee Schedule and Domestic Relations Fee Schedule .

Fee clarification: an ordinary copy request, a certified document and a newly filed lawsuit are different services. Do not treat a filing deposit as the price of searching or copying an existing court record.

Troubleshooting and access limits

No Franklin County Court Case Found? Try These Fixes

Problem	Possible reason	Next action
No criminal case	The matter may be a misdemeanor or municipal traffic case.	Check Franklin County Municipal Court records.
Divorce case visible, PDF missing	Domestic Relations document images are not publicly viewable through CIO.	Request the document from the Clerk’s Records Division.
Estate case missing	Probate has a separate case search.	Use the official Probate Court General Case Search.
Wrong case number format	CIO uses year, case type and number fields.	Re-enter the number using the official field format.
Name search has no match	Spelling, name variation, wrong court or missing data.	Adjust one criterion and try the correct court filter.
Restricted juvenile matter	Juvenile cases have special confidentiality requirements.	Use the Juvenile Division’s authorized in-person process.
Appeal missing	The appellate case uses a separate number or court category.	Choose the Tenth District Appeals option in CIO.
Portal unavailable	Routine maintenance or temporary technical issues.	Check the Clerk’s announcements and contact the office if urgent.

Restricted records: sealed and confidential court information is not available merely because you know the person’s name or case number. Do not attempt to bypass court-imposed restrictions. Ask about lawful authorized access.

Columbus courthouse offices

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Address, Clerk and Contacts

The Common Pleas General Division court and the Clerk’s records offices occupy different floors and related county buildings. Confirm the office connected to your task before visiting.

Common Pleas Court — General Division

345 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: (614) 525-3453

Published court hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Official General Division contacts

Franklin County Clerk of Courts

373 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: (614) 525-3600

Call for records assistance, public case information and routing to the appropriate Legal Division.

Official Clerk website

General Division Civil/Criminal Clerk

345 South High Street
1st Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Use for applicable General Division legal filings and Clerk-maintained records.

General Division services

Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court

373 South High Street
4th Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: (614) 525-3628

Official Domestic/Juvenile contacts

Franklin County Probate Court

373 South High Street
22nd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Phone: (614) 525-3894

Official Probate Court

Tenth District Appeals Clerk

373 South High Street
23rd Floor
Columbus, OH 43215

Use for applicable Tenth District appellate case filings and records.

Appeals Division instructions

2026 entrance change: the Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court announced that the former Pavilion entrance at 365 South High Street closed on September 8, 2026. Visitors should use the new main entrance at 373 South High Street. Confirm access and construction conditions before visiting.

Official court sources

Franklin County Common Pleas Court Records and Services Links

These official sources support the procedures above. Use the linked system for the relevant task and keep this article’s steps available while completing it.

Official Case Information Online Clerk Case Search Entry Common Pleas General Division General Civil & Criminal Domestic Relations Records Domestic Relations & Juvenile Court Probate General Case Search Tenth District Appeals Official Records Request Form Clerk Public Records Policy General Division Fees Domestic Relations Fees Common Pleas Public Records Guidance Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk

Frequently asked questions

Franklin County Common Pleas Court: 10 Case Search & Records FAQs

1. How do I search Franklin County Common Pleas cases online?

Use the Franklin County Clerk of Courts Case Information Online (CIO) system. Choose Name Search or Case Search, enter the available details and select the correct court. Review the matching docket before relying on the record.

2. Can I search Franklin County court cases by name?

Yes. CIO provides last-name, first-name and middle-initial search fields, along with a Court dropdown. Selecting the appropriate court and comparing the case details can help avoid incorrect same-name matches.

3. Does Franklin County Common Pleas Court handle felony cases?

Yes. The General Division handles felony criminal cases. The Clerk’s CIO system offers criminal case information. Traffic and misdemeanor matters generally belong in Franklin County Municipal Court.

4. Where can I find Franklin County divorce cases?

Domestic Relations case information can be searched through CIO. However, the Clerk states that documents filed in Domestic Relations are not viewable through CIO. Copies of most domestic documents can be requested from the Clerk’s Records Division.

5. Can I search Franklin County probate cases in CIO?

Use Franklin County Probate Court’s separate General Case Search for probate matters such as estates, guardianships, name changes and related cases. Probate provides its own public index and records services.

6. How much do Franklin County Common Pleas court copies cost?

The Clerk’s General Division fee schedule lists ordinary copies at $0.10 per page, certified copies at $1 per document and exemplified copies at $4 per document. Confirm the total fee for the particular document and service.

7. How do I request a certified Franklin County judgment?

Find the case number through CIO, identify the exact judgment entry and contact the Clerk’s Records Division or use the public-records request instructions. Ask for certification and verify applicable copy and service fees before ordering.

8. Why is my Franklin County court case missing online?

Possible reasons include an incorrect case number, wrong court category, name variation, a municipal court case, a separate Probate Court record, a restricted juvenile case or a temporary portal issue. Check the correct official system before assuming no case exists.

9. Can I access Franklin County Juvenile Court records online?

Juvenile records are subject to special access rules. The Clerk states that Juvenile Records requests cannot be submitted through its ordinary online records form. Requesters must follow the Juvenile Division’s in-person procedure at 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, with valid picture identification.

10. Where is Franklin County Common Pleas Court located?

The General Division court is at 345 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215, phone (614) 525-3453. The Franklin County Clerk of Courts lists 373 South High Street and can be contacted at (614) 525-3600. Confirm the department and entrance before visiting.