Named after the ancient center of learning because of the presence of Ohio University, Athens County was created in 1805 from Washington County. It has a land area of 504 square miles and as of the 2020 census, a population of 62,431. Athens is its largest city and county seat.
Courts in Athens County
Athens court system comprises common pleas, probate/juvenile, municipal, and mayor’s courts. The Athens County Common Pleas Court is the highest court in the county with jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases. It typically only hears cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts in the county. It hears all felonies and civil cases involving more than $15,000 in claims. It also handles domestic relations matters.
The Athens County Probate/Juvenile Court is a subdivision of the Athens County Common Pleas Court charged with probate and juvenile matters. The court hears all juvenile matters, including juvenile traffic offenses, delinquency, child abuse, and neglect. It also handles probate matters like settling estates, appointments of guardianships, and issuing marriage licenses.
The Athens County Municipal Court has exclusive jurisdiction in civil cases with claims under $500 but can hear civil cases with claims between $500 and $15,000. It also hears misdemeanors, municipal ordinance violations, landlord/tenant relations, traffic offenses, and preliminary hearings for felonies.
Lastly, there are four mayor’s courts in Athens County. They handle municipal ordinance violations and traffic offenses within their boundaries. The mayor’s courts are located in Buchtel, Coolville, Nelsonville, and Glouster.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Athens County
Public court records in Athens County consist of court filings, writs, transcripts, orders, court proceedings, and judgments of the county's courts. The Athens County Clerk of Courts maintains public court records from the county courts, and each mayor’s court clerk maintains their court records. Members of the public can visit the Clerk’s office to view and request copies of nonconfidential court records. They can also search for public court records online. Public court records from the Athens County Common Pleas Court can be accessed via the CourtView Common Pleas Court Case Search portal, while those of the Municipal Court can be found on the CourtView Municipal Court Case Search portal.
Types of Public Court Records in Athens County
Athens County makes the following types of court records available to the public unless sealed by court orders:
- Civil Case Records: court orders, settlement agreements, and court proceedings
- Criminal Case Records: warrants, details about charges, court proceedings, and verdicts for criminal cases
- Family Court Records: family law matters, including annulments, divorce decrees, child custody decrees, and maintenance orders
- Probate Records: documentation of trusts, estates, guardianships, and wills
Confidential Court Records in Athens County
Certain court records in Athens County are court records sealed to preserve privacy and protect sensitive information. Unlike public court documents, which are accessible to the public, confidential court records are not. Confidential court records include all or parts of the following:
- Most juvenile records
- Identifying information about jurors
- Personal identifying information such as Social Security number, driver’s license number, and plate numbers
- Medical and mental health records
- Intellectual property
- Unexecuted warrants and summons
- Acquitted or dismissed charges
- Certain information about victims of sexual or domestic violence
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
- Misdemeanor and felony convictions after certain years
Juvenile Delinquency in Athens, OH
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Athens County, juvenile delinquency offenses are on the rise. There are many reasons for the inflation in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Ohio often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of charges, and other family matters.
In 2017, a total of 239 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Athens County. Of that total, 64% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 153 court cases. Another 18% were dependency cases that accounted for 42 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Athens County, are focusing on family counseling and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Athens County juvenile delinquency tallies will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 7,049 |
| Dependency | 1,779 |
| Status | 1,642 |
Government of Athens County, OH
| County Seat: | Athens |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1805 |
| Total Square Miles: | 508 |
| 2019 Population: | 66,597 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | 15 S Court St
County Courthouse Athens , OH 45701-2836 http://www.co.athensoh.org/ |
Athens County, OH Courts
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Athens County Common Pleas Court
Address: 1 South Court Street, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-593-3591 -
Athens County Municipal Court
Address: 8 East Washington Street, Athens, OH 45701
Phone: 740-592-3328