Franklin County has a population of 1.3 million residents and covers an area of approximately 1,410 square kilometers, making it one of Ohio’s smaller counties in terms of land mass. Despite its relatively small size, Franklin County is home to the Columbus Museum of Art and Ohio State University. Founded in 1803 and named in honor of Benjamin Franklin, Franklin County is located in the central part of the state, Columbus, which is also the state capital.

Courts in Franklin County

The Franklin County court system comprises a Municipal Court, 4 Courts of Common Pleas, and 20 Mayor’s Courts. The Franklin County Municipal Court has jurisdiction over traffic cases and misdemeanor civil and criminal cases with amounts less than $15,000. They also preside over most violations of township resolutions and violations of municipal ordinances.

The Courts of Common Pleas have original jurisdiction over all criminal and civil cases. However, they usually handle cases beyond the jurisdiction of other courts. The Courts of Common Pleas have a separate division for domestic relations, probate, general civil, and juvenile cases.

The Mayor’s Court in Franklin County adjudicates some criminal and quasi-criminal cases in territories outside the jurisdiction of the Municipal Courts. The Mayor’s Court handles lawsuits involving violations of municipal ordinances, parking violations, and criminal traffic cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Franklin County

Public court records contain information about legal proceedings that is accessible to the public. The Clerk of Courts provides an online database for criminal, civil, appeals, and criminal cases. Records seekers can utilize the Case Information Online to access public court records. Records seekers may also order public court records by mail or email by filling out the Online Public Record Request Form. The Clerk of the Municipal Court also provides an online Search Records tool to view public court records filed and heard at the Municipal Courts. Record seekers may also visit the various courthouses in the county to order the record in person. The Clerks of Courts also accept mail requests for public court records.

Types of Public Court Records in Franklin County

Most court records are generally open to the public in Franklin County. Some of these records include:

• Civil Court Records: Contract, real estate, landlord/tenant disputes, and civil property cases
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanor cases such as drug trafficking and disorderly conduct
• Probate Court Records: Wills, name change, estate, guardianship, and trusts court cases
• Domestic Relations Court Records: Divorce and spousal support records

Confidential Court Records in Franklin County

Confidential court records in Franklin County refer to court documents exempted from public view. Confidential records are sealed by a court order or federal or state law. Confidential court records include adoption records, juvenile records, trade secrets, and mental health records.

Furthermore, confidential court records also include personal information in court records where disclosure may result in an invasion of privacy. Therefore, financial account information, Social Security numbers, and passport numbers contained in a court record are redacted before issuing the court record to requesters.

Juvenile Delinquency in Franklin, OH

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Franklin County, juvenile delinquency issues are on the rise. There are many reasons for the rise in youth offenders. The juvenile sentence in Ohio often depends on the severity of the crime, the number of crimes, and other family matters.

In 2017, a total of 9 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Franklin County. Of that total, 44% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 4 court cases. Another 33% were dependency cases that accounted for 3 of the juvenile cases.

A lot of counties, including, Franklin County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Franklin County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.

Government of Franklin County, OH

https://ohio.gov/

County Seat:	Columbus
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1803
Total Square Miles:	544
2019 Population:	1,291,981
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	373 South High Street, 17th Floor County Courthouse Columbus , OH 43215-4591 http://www.co.franklin.oh.us/

Franklin County, OH Courts