Named after the Licking River, which runs through the county, Licking County is situated in central Ohio, east of the state capital. Home to over 175,000 people, Licking County covers an area of 687 square miles. It was established in 1808, with its county seat in Newark, which is known for the Newark Earthworks, one of the largest ancient geometric earthworks in the world.

Courts in Licking County

Licking County judiciary is served by the Courts of Common Pleas and Municipal Courts. The Licking County Common Pleas Court has original jurisdiction over felonies and civil cases for disputes claims above $15,000. The court has a separate division for general, domestic relations, and probate and juvenile cases. The General Division oversees civil and criminal cases, while the Domestic Relations Division presides over divorce and child custody cases. The Probate/Juvenile Division handles wills, estates, guardianship lawsuits, and offenses involving minors, such as emancipation, foster care, and juvenile delinquencies.

The Licking County Municipal Court has limited jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. The court presides over traffic and non-traffic misdemeanors, violation of municipal ordinances, civil cases for claims below $15,000, recovery of money or property, and contract cases.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Licking County

Public court records are court documents open to the general public. Interested persons can access public court records from Lexington County online through the Public Portal provided by the Clerk of Courts. Records seekers may also use Court Connect to look up public court records from the Municipal Court and CaseLook to view court documents from the Probate Court. In addition, the Clerk of Court permits in-person or mail requests for public court records.

Types of Public Court Records in Licking County

Access to public court records promotes citizen’s confidence in the county’s judicial process. The following court records are publicly accessible to Licking County residents:

• Civil Court Records: Contract disputes, defamation, evictions, personal injury claims, and property disputes
• Criminal Court Records: Felonies and misdemeanors
• Family Court Records: Child visitation, child custody, child support, divorce, alimony, and legal separation
• Probate Records: Estates, wills, guardianships, conservatorships, and trusts
• Traffic Records: Parking violations, speeding, illegal U-turns, running a red light, and school zone violations

Confidential Court Records in Licking County

Confidential court records in Licking County refer to documents from the courts that are exempted from public view. The court seals confidential court records to protect the individual named on the document from harm and unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Some confidential court records include:

• Juvenile court records
• Trade secrets
• Grand jury proceedings
• Adoption records
• Medical and mental health records

Public court records contain personal data that is excluded from the public view. Personal identifiers on court documents are redacted to prevent misuse of personal data and identity theft. Personal identifying information removed from public court records include:

• Social Security numbers
• Financial account numbers
• Driver’s license numbers
• Passport numbers
• Tax identification numbers

Juvenile Delinquency in Licking, OH

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

In 2017, a total of 942 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Licking County. Of that total, 60% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 561 court cases. Another 36% were dependency cases that accounted for 341 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Licking County, OH

https://ohio.gov/

County Seat:	Newark
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1808
Total Square Miles:	687
2019 Population:	173,448
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	20 S 2Nd St County Administration Building Newark , OH 43055-5602 https://www.lcounty.com/

Licking County, OH Courts