PRIVACY AND PUBLIC RECORDS

Since 1989, The Ohio Attorney General has provided the Ohio Sunshine Laws Update to help citizens with the most frequently encountered issues in public records and open meetings laws.

Court Records as Public Records
Absent a specific statutory exception, all documents or recorded proceedings of a court are public records subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act.  When pretrial discovery materials, such as a deposition, are filed with a court, the character of the record changes from trial preparation materials or discovery materials to public records.  However a narrow exception exists in circumstances where the release of the court records would prejudice the rights of the parties in an ongoing criminal or civil proceeding.  Under such circumstances, the court may impose a protective order prohibiting the release of the records. 

To review Ohio's Sunshine Laws Update in their entirety, please click here.

Public Records Policy
The Clerk of Courts office maintains many public records that are used in the administration and operation of the office. These records are maintained in a manner that promotes their availability and access for public review and inspection.

The Clerk of Courts office public records are available for inspection during our regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., with the exception of published holidays. Public records are to be made available for inspection promptly. Copies of public records are to be made available within a reasonable period of time. In the Legal Division, per Local Rule, those seeking public records will be charged twenty-five cents for each regular copy and two dollars for each certified copy. In the Title Division, per the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, those seeking public records will be charged two dollars for each motor vehicle title record requested.

Ohio law makes certain public records exempt from disclosure. The Clerk of Courts office will review record requests before they are released to ensure exempt information is protected as permitted or required by law. Exempt portions will be redacted, as well as plainly visible, and the public portions will be released.

Any denial of public records in response to a valid request will be accompanied by an explanation, including legal authority. No public record request will be denied, in whole or in part, unless reviewed and approved by the Clerk of Courts Record Officer.

For additonal questions, the Clerk of Courts Record Officer can be contacted at (513) 887-3278.

Filing Under Seal
To the extent authorized by statute or rule, an individual judge may, by court order, restrict assess to records in an individual case. The process for filing under seal is as follows:

1. The order to seal should be titled “Order to Seal”. 
2. The order should identify the statute or rule being applied, which has authorized the sealing  of the particular record.
3. The record, document or filing being sealed, should be filed in a 10”x13” sealed envelope.
4. The order to seal should be attached to the face of sealed envelope containing the record.
5. When the order to seal and the sealed envelope are filed, the Clerk of Courts office will place a gold seal on the envelope, file it in the case file, and permit it to be opened only by a subsequent order of the court.