Choose the Right Franklin County Court Before You Search a Name
Franklin County does not use one public database for every case. Common Pleas civil and felony cases use the Clerk of Courts Case Information Online system, Municipal Court has a separate records portal, Probate Court runs its own index, and domestic or juvenile records have additional access limits.
This guide helps you identify the correct court first, enter a person or company name correctly, understand what the online docket does not show, and request a plain, certified or exemplified copy from the office that actually holds the record.
Start With the Type of Case
Searching a name before choosing the court is the most common mistake. Select the route that matches the dispute, charge or document.
Use for General Division felony criminal cases, civil lawsuits, foreclosures and Tenth District appellate dockets.
Search Common Pleas correctlyUse the separate Municipal Clerk portal for traffic, misdemeanor, small-claims, eviction and many local civil cases.
Use the Municipal searchUse Probate Court’s own search for estates, guardianships, conservatorships and other probate proceedings.
Search Probate recordsCIO may show a domestic docket, but domestic documents are not available through CIO. Juvenile access is more restricted.
Check access limitsWhich Franklin County Court Holds the Record?
Court names in Franklin County sound similar, and several offices are located within a few blocks of one another in downtown Columbus. The record-holding court—not the nearest courthouse—determines which portal, clerk and copy procedure applies.
| Case or record | Correct court | Official search | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Felony criminal case | Court of Common Pleas, General Division | Clerk of Courts CIO | A Municipal case may appear first and later be bound over to Common Pleas. |
| Major civil lawsuit or foreclosure | Court of Common Pleas, General Division | Clerk of Courts CIO | CIO is a convenience copy, not the official original court file. |
| Misdemeanor or traffic case | Franklin County Municipal Court | Municipal Court Clerk Records Search | Do not search Common Pleas CIO first unless the case was transferred or bound over. |
| Eviction, small claims or local civil matter | Franklin County Municipal Court | Municipal Court Clerk Records Search | Municipal records use a different portal and case-number format. |
| Estate, guardianship or probate matter | Franklin County Probate Court | Probate General Case Search | Some probate case types are confidential and not publicly viewable. |
| Divorce, dissolution or legal separation | Domestic Relations Division | CIO for docket information | Domestic-relations documents are not viewable through CIO. |
| Juvenile delinquency, custody or dependency | Domestic Relations and Juvenile Branch | Contact the Juvenile Division | Many juvenile records are restricted; online public-record requests are not accepted for juvenile records. |
| Tenth District appeal | Tenth District Court of Appeals | Clerk of Courts CIO | The underlying trial-court case may remain in a separate Municipal, Probate or Common Pleas portal. |
| Federal case | U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio | PACER | Federal records do not appear in Franklin County court portals. |
Search Franklin County Common Pleas Cases in CIO
The Franklin County Clerk of Courts maintains Case Information Online, commonly called CIO. It covers public criminal and civil cases filed in the Common Pleas General Division, domestic-relations case information and cases filed in the Tenth District Court of Appeals.
- Open the official CIO portal. Read and accept the conditions of use before entering the search system.
- Choose the appropriate court or division. Selecting the wrong division can create no results even when the person has a Franklin County case.
- Start with the last and first name. Add the middle initial only when it is reliable. Avoid adding too many fields during the first search.
- Review every plausible case. Compare the case number, court division, filing date, party role and case type.
- Open the docket entries. Read later entries and final orders rather than relying only on the original complaint or charge.
- Use the courthouse record when accuracy is disputed. CIO states that its information is a convenience copy and does not replace the official record in the original court file.
Search Franklin County Municipal Court Records
Municipal Court records are not searched through the Common Pleas CIO portal. The Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk has a separate search for criminal, traffic and civil cases, including many evictions and small-claims matters.
What the Municipal search accepts
Both are required for a person-name search. A middle name is optional.
The clerk identifies these as the most efficient search methods.
Try reasonable variations because company names may be entered differently.
Enter it as MM/DD/YYYY using forward slashes, not hyphens.
Use these after the basic search when too many results appear.
Open or closed can narrow results, but a closed label does not necessarily mean every issue has been completed.
Best Municipal Court search sequence
- Search the first and last name only. Do not add a middle name or birth date until you see whether the basic search returns results.
- Use only the middle initial when needed. The Municipal Clerk warns that the full middle name is not always present in a case.
- Add the case year or case type. These are efficient ways to narrow a long result list.
- Search the ticket number exactly. Include letters printed on the ticket, such as an alphanumeric prefix.
- Read the full docket. A closed status alone does not prove that a case was dismissed, paid, completed or adjudicated.
Search Franklin County Probate Court Records
Probate cases use a separate search maintained by the Franklin County Probate Court. The General Case Index covers public probate matters, while marriage-license records use a separate search.
- Open Probate Court’s General Case Search. Do not use Common Pleas CIO for an estate, guardianship or similar probate matter.
- Select the search method. Enter the decedent, ward, applicant or other known party name using the format shown by the portal.
- Review the case type and filing date. Similar names can appear in unrelated estate or guardianship files.
- Use the case number to view available history. Non-confidential filed documents may be available through Probate Court’s e-filing case history.
- Request a certified record when required. Probate record searches can be requested by email, mail or appointment, and a deputy clerk will provide the cost.
Find Divorce, Custody and Juvenile Records
Franklin County’s Domestic Relations and Juvenile Branch handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, child custody, support, protection orders, juvenile delinquency, unruliness, abuse, neglect and dependency matters.
| Record needed | Where to start | Access limit | Best next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Divorce or dissolution docket | Clerk CIO | Filed domestic documents are not viewable through CIO. | Contact Domestic Relations Records for copies. |
| Certified divorce decree | Domestic Relations Division | A docket printout is not a certified decree. | Request the decree by mail or in person. |
| Custody or child-support filing | Domestic Relations or Juvenile Division | The correct division can depend on marital status and where the earlier case was filed. | Call the division before filing or requesting a record. |
| Juvenile record | Juvenile Division | Many juvenile records are confidential or restricted. | Visit the Juvenile Division with valid photo identification when directed. |
Requesting a certified Franklin County divorce decree
The Clerk’s current instructions say a written request should include the parties’ first and last names used during the marriage, the year the case was filed, the case number when available, and the requester’s return name and address.
Current published guidance lists a copy fee of $0.10 per page and a $1 certification fee. Confirm the complete amount before mailing payment because the number of pages and requested documents can change the total.
How to Search Franklin County Court Records by Name
Name searching works best when you start broadly inside the correct portal, then narrow the results. Entering an incorrect middle name, birth date, case type or court division can hide the case you need.
Decide between Common Pleas CIO, Municipal Court, Probate Court or Domestic/Juvenile records.
Begin with first and last name. Add the middle initial only after reviewing the first result set.
Add the case year, case type, court division or birth date one field at a time.
Person-name variations worth testing
- Full first name and last name
- First name, middle initial and last name
- Former or married surname
- Hyphenated and non-hyphenated surname
- Common abbreviated first name
- Name without punctuation or suffix
Business-name variations worth testing
- Full legal business name
- Name without “LLC,” “Inc.” or “Corporation”
- Name without punctuation
- Known trade name or former name
- Company-name search instead of person-name fields
Understand Franklin County Municipal Case Numbers
The Municipal Court Clerk identifies the case or ticket number as the fastest search method. Municipal case numbers include a year, a case code and a six-digit sequence.
Case year: the first four digits identify the filing year.
Case code: the letters identify the Municipal Court case category.
Sequence: the final six digits identify the individual case.
Official Municipal Clerk examples include formats such as:
2026 CRA 0012342026 CRB 0012342026 TRC 1234562026 CVE 001234
REY54321.
Confirm That the Case Is the Correct Match
Confirm whether the result is Common Pleas, Municipal, Probate, Domestic Relations or Juvenile.
Check whether the person is a plaintiff, defendant, petitioner, respondent, appellant or another participant.
Compare the year with the incident, citation, dispute, divorce or estate being researched.
Confirm that the case type matches the expected felony, civil, traffic, eviction, probate or family matter.
Read amended charges, dismissals, judgments, transfers and final orders—not only the first entry.
Consult the courthouse record when the online docket is incomplete or accuracy is disputed.
What to Do When No Franklin County Case Appears
You searched the wrong court
Repeat the search in Municipal Court, Common Pleas CIO, Probate Court or the Domestic/Juvenile division based on the case type.
The case moved between courts
A felony may begin in Municipal Court and later be bound over to Common Pleas. Search both systems.
The middle name removed the result
Search without the middle name, then repeat with only the middle initial.
The case is older
Contact the record-holding clerk when an older file is not indexed online or has been moved to storage.
The record is confidential
Juvenile, adoption, protection-order and other sensitive records may be restricted by law or court order.
The portal is temporarily unavailable
CIO can have scheduled or unscheduled outages. Probate search also has routine evening backup periods.
Use this recovery sequence
- Confirm the exact court name on the citation, notice or complaint.
- Search only the first and last name.
- Remove the middle name, birth date and case-status filters.
- Search a former surname or company-name variation.
- Check both Municipal and Common Pleas when a felony may have been transferred.
- Search Probate separately for estates and guardianships.
- Contact Domestic Relations for unavailable divorce documents.
- Contact the Juvenile Division for restricted juvenile-record procedures.
- Use the exact case or ticket number when available.
- Request the official courthouse file when the online docket is incomplete.
Request Plain, Certified or Exemplified Copies
Online docket entries are useful for research, but they may not satisfy a government office, employer, bank, licensing body or another court. Ask the receiving organization which document and authentication level it requires before paying.
| Record division | Published fee | What to prepare | Important note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common Pleas General Division | $0.10 per page; $1 certified copy per document; $4 exemplified copy per document. | Case number, document title, filing date and number of copies. | Confirm the current total before submitting payment. |
| Domestic Relations | $0.10 per page plus $1 certification. | Names used during the marriage, filing year, case number and return address. | Domestic documents are not viewable through CIO. |
| Juvenile Division | $0.10 per page; $1 certified copy; $4 exemplified copy. | Identification and proof of lawful access when required. | Online public-record requests are not accepted for juvenile records. |
| Probate Court | Cost provided by a deputy clerk after the request is reviewed. | Case name, case number, requested document and contact information. | Mail requests should follow Probate Court’s current payment and return-envelope instructions. |
| Municipal Court | Varies by record or service. | Case number, ticket number or party name. | Contact the Municipal Court Clerk for the current copy charge. |
Before you contact the clerk
- Identify the correct court and division.
- Write down the complete case number.
- Identify the exact document, such as judgment entry, sentencing entry, complaint or decree.
- Know whether a plain, certified or exemplified copy is required.
- Ask whether the record is stored off-site.
- Confirm the payment method and mailing address.
- Include return contact information.
Franklin County Court Offices and Contact Routes
Several Franklin County courts are located along South High Street, but they are in different buildings, floors and clerk divisions. Confirm the destination before parking or entering security.
Common Pleas General Division
Address: 345 South High Street, 1st Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-525-3621
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Franklin County Municipal Court
Address: 375 South High Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-645-8214
Use for: misdemeanor, traffic, eviction, small claims and Municipal civil matters.
Domestic Relations Division
Address: 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-525-4410
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Juvenile Division
Address: 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-525-4411
Bring: Valid photo identification when instructed for a juvenile-record request.
Probate Court
Address: 373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Main phone: 614-525-3894
Certified Records: 614-525-3899
Tenth District Appeals Division
Address: 373 South High Street, 23rd Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: 614-525-3624
Search: Tenth District cases are available through CIO.
Appeals, Ohio Supreme Court and Federal Records
| Record needed | Correct system | What it covers | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenth District appeal | Franklin County CIO | Appeals from Franklin County trial courts and original appellate actions. | Search CIO and select the appellate court division. |
| Supreme Court of Ohio case | Supreme Court Public Docket | Cases filed directly with or appealed to the Supreme Court of Ohio. | Search by case number or case caption. |
| Federal district case | PACER / Southern District of Ohio | Federal civil and criminal matters in the Columbus division. | Use PACER or a public-access computer at the federal clerk’s office. |
| Federal bankruptcy case | Federal bankruptcy PACER system | Bankruptcy petitions, dockets and filed documents. | Do not search county court portals. |
Use Franklin County Court Information Carefully
Online court systems can display allegations, amended charges, dismissed cases, duplicate names, incomplete documents and old contact information. A docket entry should be read in context with the later judgment or disposition.
- Do not assume a filed charge resulted in conviction.
- Do not assume a closed case was dismissed or fully completed.
- Do not assume a same-name result belongs to the intended person.
- Do not treat CIO or another online portal as the original certified court file.
- Do not use this website as a consumer-reporting or background-screening service.
- Do not publish restricted personal information found in a court record.
Frequently Asked Questions About Franklin County Court Records
Where do I search Franklin County court records by name?
Use Franklin County Clerk of Courts CIO for Common Pleas General Division cases, domestic-relations docket information and Tenth District appeals. Use the separate Municipal Court Clerk search for traffic, misdemeanor, eviction, small-claims and other Municipal cases. Probate Court maintains its own General Case Search.
Why can’t I find a Municipal Court case in CIO?
Franklin County Municipal Court uses a separate Clerk of Court search portal. Search the Municipal system directly. If a felony began in Municipal Court and was later bound over, also search Common Pleas CIO.
Can I view a Franklin County divorce decree online?
No domestic-relations documents are viewable through CIO, even when the case docket is listed. Request the decree from the Domestic Relations Division. Current instructions list $0.10 per page and a $1 certification fee, subject to confirmation by the clerk.
How do I search Franklin County Municipal Court by name?
Enter both the first and last name. If you add a middle name, begin with only the middle initial because a full middle name is not always stored. Add case year, type or status only when the first search returns too many results.
What does a Franklin County Municipal case number look like?
Municipal case numbers contain a four-digit year, a case code and a six-digit sequence. Official examples include formats such as 2026 CRA 001234, 2026 TRC 123456 and 2026 CVE 001234.
Why is the Probate Court search not showing today’s filing?
Franklin County Probate Court states that online case-search records are current as of the previous day. A same-day filing may not appear until the next update.
Why is the Probate Court search unavailable at night?
The Probate Court warns that routine backups may affect the General Case Index on weekday evenings between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. and randomly during weekends.
Can I request Franklin County juvenile records online?
The Clerk’s online public-record form states that juvenile-record requests may not be submitted through the website. Requesters are directed to visit the Juvenile Division at 373 South High Street, 4th Floor, with valid picture identification. Access may still be restricted.
How much does a certified Common Pleas record cost?
The current General Division fee schedule lists paper copies at $0.10 per page, certification at $1 per document and an exemplified copy at $4 per document. Confirm the total and payment method before submitting the request.
Is the online docket the official Franklin County court record?
No. CIO states that its information is a convenience copy and does not constitute the official record. When accuracy is disputed or official proof is required, consult the original court file or order a certified copy.
How This Franklin County Guide Was Verified
- Franklin County Clerk of Courts — Case Information Online
- Franklin County Municipal Court Clerk — Records Search
- Franklin County Probate Court — General Case Search
- Franklin County Clerk — Domestic Relations
- Franklin County Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court
- Franklin County Clerk — General Division Fee Schedule
- Franklin County Clerk — Division Contacts and Hours
- Supreme Court of Ohio — Public Docket
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Franklin County portal coverage, court divisions, Municipal search rules, Probate update timing, domestic-document restrictions, juvenile-request limits, copy fees and office contacts were checked against current official court and clerk sources.
Court portals, office hours, fees and public-access rules can change. The current record-holding court or clerk source controls when it differs from this guide.