Hocking County, Ohio, was formed in 1818 and derived its name from the Hocking River. It has a land area of 421 square miles and a population of 28,050 people. Its largest city and county seat is Logan.
Courts in Hocking County
The Hocking County Court of Common Pleas is the highest court in the county and is divided into two divisions. The Hocking County Court of Common Pleas - General and Domestic Relations Divisions hears all felonies and civil cases involving more than $15,000 in claims. It also handles domestic relations matters. The Hocking County Court of Common Pleas - Juvenile and Probate Divisions handles probate matters like issuing marriage licenses, admitting wills, administering estates, and appointments of guardianships. It also hears all juvenile matters, including juvenile traffic offenses, delinquency, child abuse, and juvenile dependencies.
The Hocking County Municipal Court exclusively hears civil cases with claims under $500 but can also hear civil cases with claims between $500 and $15,000. It also handles misdemeanors, traffic offenses, municipal ordinance violations, landlord/tenant relations, and preliminary hearings for felonies.
There are two Mayor’s Courts in Laurelville and Murray City. They hear municipal ordinance violations and traffic offenses within their boundaries.
Where to Find Public Court Records in Hocking County
The Hocking County Clerk of Courts maintains all public court records from the county Court of Common Pleas, while the clerks of the municipal and mayor’s courts maintain their court records. These records are accessible to the public and consist of court filings, court orders, writs, transcripts, legal proceedings, and rulings of the county's courts.
Members of the public can visit any of the courts to inspect and request copies of public court records. Alternatively, they can search for Hocking County public court records online. Public court records from the Hocking County Court of Common Pleas can be accessed via the CourtView Case Search platform, while probate nonconfidential court records can be accessed through the Hocking County Juvenile and Probate Courts Record Search portal. Similarly, the Case Search portal provided by the Hocking County Municipal Court can also be used to find public court records from the court.
Types of Public Court Records in Hocking County
The right of the public in Hocking County to access certain court records is enshrined in the Ohio Constitution and helps to assure the public of the fairness of the judicial system. The following types of court records are available to the public in Hocking County unless sealed by court orders:
- Criminal Court Records: including court proceedings for misdemeanors and felonies
- Family Court Records: including divorce decrees, custody orders, and emancipation decrees
- Civil Court Records: including breaches of contract, professional malpractices, product liability, and automobile negligence
- Probate Court Records: such as documentation of wills, trusts, guardianships, and estate assets and liabilities
Confidential Court Records in Hocking County
Certain court records in Hocking County are sealed to preserve privacy and protect sensitive information. Unlike public court documents, these records are confidential and can only be seen by authorized persons or by court orders. The following are usually excluded from public records in Hocking County:
- Most juvenile delinquency records
- Adoption records
- Sexually transmitted disease (STD) test results and treatment records
- Substance abuse treatment records
- Acquitted or dismissed charges
- Medical and mental health records
- Certain information about victims of sexual or domestic violence
All or parts of the following court records may also be sealed if they contain sensitive information such as:
- Social Security number
- Bank account details
- Tax returns.
Juvenile Delinquency in Hocking, OH
Unfortunately, in many areas of the Hocking 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 219 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Hocking County. Of that total, 77% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 168 court cases. Another 23% were dependency cases that accounted for 51 of the juvenile cases.
A lot of counties, including, Hocking County, are focusing on family therapy and relationships rather than punishment for juvenile crimes. Future Hocking County juvenile delinquency numbers will show whether or not this approach is working.
| Juvenile Cases | Number of cases |
|---|---|
| Delinquency | 9,242 |
| Dependency | 1,360 |
| Status | 2,794 |
Government of Hocking County, OH
| County Seat: | Logan |
| Government Type: | County |
| Authority: | Dillon's Rule |
| Year Organized: | 1818 |
| Total Square Miles: | 424 |
| 2019 Population: | 28,474 |
| Persons/Square Mile: | 0.01 |
| County Contact: | 1 E Main St
County Courthouse Logan , OH 43138-1207 https://www.co.hocking.oh.us/ |
Hocking County, OH Courts
-
Hocking County Common Pleas Court
Address: 1 East Main Street, Logan, OH 43138
Phone: 740-385-4027 -
Hocking County Municipal Court
Address: P.O. Box 950, Logan, OH 43138
Phone: 740-385-2250