Lorain County is located in northeastern Ohio. Its land area is 490.54 square miles, and the county seat is Elyria City. Over 300,000 people live in Lorain County.

Courts in Lorain County

In Lorain County, the trial court system consists of a Court of Common Pleas and Municipal Courts. The Court of Common Pleas exercises broad jurisdiction over all criminal and civil matters involving $15,000 or more. The court is organized into four divisions, namely:

• General Division, which tries all civil and criminal cases from government agencies.
• Domestic Relations Division, which handles divorce, child custody, and child support proceedings.
• Juvenile Division, which deals with cases involving minors.
• Probate Division, which handles cases relating to Wills, Codicils, estates, trusts, and guardianships.

There are five Municipal Courts in Lorain County, and each court has jurisdiction over certain criminal and civil cases. Examples of criminal cases tried in the Municipal Courts include felony preliminary hearings, violations of municipal ordinances, and traffic and non-traffic misdemeanors. For civil cases, Municipal Courts have the authority to hear claims involving breach of contract, recovery of money or property, interpleader, foreclosure, and some nuisance actions. The amount in dispute should not exceed $15,000, otherwise the courts cannot hear the case. In addition, each Municipal Court in Lorain County has a Small Claims Division that handles civil matters with a value of up to $3,000.

Where to Find Public Court Records in Lorain County

The Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas is charged with the duty of creating and keeping court records in Lorain County. In addition to this duty, the Office of the Clerk maintains an online public records system in which residents can access digital records of civil, criminal, and domestic relations cases. Members of the public may also physically visit the Court of Common Pleas or any of the Municipal Courts to obtain hard copies of court records.

Types of Public Court Records in Lorain County

During court proceedings, several documents and files are submitted to and generated by the court. These documents are known as court records and are generally accessible to the public. Examples of court records in Lorain County include:

• Court calendars
• Case index
• Docket sheets
• Court minutes
• Case files

Confidential Court Records in Lorain County

There are certain court records in Lorain County that are not available for public viewing. These records are usually restricted from public access by federal or state law or by court order. Examples include:

• Adoption records
• Juvenile court records
• Records involving sexual assault victims
• Records that are sealed or expunged by court order
• Records relating to domestic violence cases

Juvenile Delinquency in Lorain, OH

Unfortunately, in many areas of the Lorain 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 405 juvenile cases were reported for every 100,000 people age 10 to adulthood in the jurisdiction of Lorain County. Of that total, 0% of those proceedings were delinquencies which equaled 1 court cases. Another 73% were dependency cases that accounted for 296 of the juvenile cases.

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

Government of Lorain County, OH

https://ohio.gov/

County Seat:	Elyria
Government Type:	County
Authority:	Dillon's Rule
Year Organized:	1822
Total Square Miles:	923
2019 Population:	307,924
Persons/Square Mile:	0.00
County Contact:	226 Middle Ave County Courthouse Elyria , OH 44035-5629 http://www.loraincounty.us

Lorain County, OH Courts