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Summit County, Ohio Court Records

Summit County court records consist of petitions, affidavits, motions, and other related filings, submitted to a court or filed with a clerk in the course of a judicial action or proceeding.

The Summit County Court of Common Pleas, particularly the General Division, handles most first-instance (trial level) criminal felony and major civil cases. The court keeps the official files of these cases. The Clerk of Court is responsible for collecting these documents for filing, labeling, and maintaining them in accordance with the Ohio State Public Records Act and the Supreme Court of Ohio Public Access and Records Retention Rules.

Summit County court records relate to judicial proceedings and are distinct from other public records, such as arrest reports and booking logs maintained by the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Nevertheless, court records may intersect with and supplement other public records in certain circumstances. For instance, a criminal court record may show that an individual who was previously arrested was subsequently prosecuted and acquitted, or that a marriage for which a license was issued was subsequently dissolved by the Court for domestic violence-related concerns.

Are Summit County Court Records Public?

Court records are generally public in Summit County, Ohio. The Supreme Court of Ohio Public Access and Records Retention Rules specifically provides that all documents submitted to a court or filed with a clerk in the course of a judicial action or proceeding are public documents. This means anyone can request to see specific court records and make copies if they wish. The Clerk of Court is authorized to ensure that these records are arranged in such a way that they can easily be retrieved and provided to a requester.

Nevertheless, state law prohibits the disclosure of certain sensitive documents or information for private interest purposes. Under the Ohio State Public Records Act and the Public Access and Records Retention Rules, the redaction or restriction of the following is lawful:

  • Personal identifiers and personal identifier forms
  • Document or information to which a court has restricted public access
  • Juvenile-related court records
  • Notes, drafts, recommendations, advice, and research of judicial officers and court staff
  • Certain domestic relations and juvenile matters in a Court of Common Pleas
  • Information obtained from the Ohio Court’s Network
  • A document or information exempt from disclosure under state, federal, or common law, including the Ohio Public Records Act

What Information is Available in Summit County Court Records?

The content of a court record varies by case type (civil, criminal, domestic relations), but typically includes:

  • Pleadings
  • Motions and applications
  • Exhibits and Witness Statement on Oath
  • Petition (common in probate and family law cases)
  • Affidavit
  • Court Orders and Rulings
  • Judgments
  • Dockets
  • Party and Attorney Information
  • Bonds and Affidavit (common in criminal cases)
  • Probation/Sentencing Reports

Summit County Court Records Search

The court record search process in Summit County, Ohio, consists of two major methods: online search and in-person visits. For online search:

  • Access the Common Pleas General Division portal
  • Enter at least 3 letters of a first and last name OR Company you wish to search in the appropriate textboxes (as outlined in the Search Clue)
  • Select the case type (Civil or Criminal)
  • Click Begin Search to initiate a database query
  • Search results will provide an index of all court records

Alternatively, complete case files can be obtained from the Summit County Clerk’s website with some general steps.

  • Once the website is accessed, click Record Search on the right-hand side of the home page.
  • If the researcher wishes to proceed, they must agree to the Disclaimer and Notice on the next page
  • Select the case type (Domestic, Civil, Criminal, or Court of Appeals)
  • The web page allows the user to search for case files either by Civil Case No, Judgment Lien Case No, Name, Commercial Name, or Search By Judge / Date / Case Type / Document Type.
  • Enter the details in the textbox and click the Search or OK button.

For certified copies or if the record being sought is not online, the Summit County Clerk of Courts Office maintains the records for the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, Domestic Relations Division, and the Ninth District Court of Appeals at their office location:

Appeal, Civil, Criminal, and Domestic Relations Divisions

Summit County Courthouse Annex

205 S. High St., 1st Floor

Akron, OH 44308-1662

Office operation hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Fees for Court Records in Summit County

Computer Docket Printouts (per page) and copies per page for Civil, Criminal, and Domestic Relations cases cost 10 cents, while certified record copy costs up to $1.00 (per page).

Summit County Courthouse Locations

Below is the list of Courts in Summit County and their addresses:

Courts of Common Pleas in Summit County

Summit County Court of Common Pleas - Domestic Relations Division

205 S High St, Akron, OH 44308

Phone: 330-643-2202

Fax: 330-643-7738

Summit County Court of Common Pleas - General Division

205 S High St, Akron, OH 44308

Phone: 330-643-8368 (Civil)

Fax: 330-643-7737 (Civil)

Phone: 330-643-7398 (Criminal)

Fax: 330-643-7772 (Criminal)

Summit County Court of Common Pleas - Juvenile Division

William P. Kannel Juvenile Justice Center

650 Dan St, Akron, OH 44310

Phone: 330-643-2900

Summit County Court of Common Pleas - Probate Division

Summit County Courthouse

209 S High St, Akron, OH 44308

Phone: 330-643-2350

Fax: 330-643-2393

Criminal Records Access in Summit County

Local criminal case records are case-specific and relate only to offenses committed within Summit County, Ohio. However, an individual may have committed crimes that are not in the County’s record database because the offender was not prosecuted for the offense in Summit County. In such cases, a state-level criminal history check against the person’s background would be an ideal approach.

While local case records can be accessed online through:

Consolidated state-level criminal history checks are handled by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). BCI serves as Ohio State’s criminal record keeper and is the appropriate authority to conduct a state-wide check on a person’s background. It carries out this function by comparing a person’s fingerprint against its extensive fingerprint database.

Summit County Probate Records

When a person dies, their successor typically "takes out probate." This means they initiate a court-supervised legal process of administering the deceased person’s estate, where a court validates the will (if one exists), appoints an executor (or administrator), pays debts and taxes, and distributes the remainder of the estate to their heirs according to the deceased person’s final wishes or state law.

Summit County Probate records are documented proof of the administration of a deceased county resident’s estate. The content of a probate record varies depending on whether the deceased left a will or died without writing one, but it typically includes:

  • Will
  • Letters of administration (where the deceased died without writing a will)
  • Trust
  • Guardianship
  • Conservatorships
  • Adoption and family matters

Probate Records are part of Summit County court records but are maintained separately and administered by the Probate Court, which handles all cases concerning wills, estates, and guardianships. The court provides access to related records through its website-access the website and click on Case Record Search at the top of the page.

Summit County Family Court Records

Family Court matters in Summit County, Ohio, including divorce, child custody, support, and protection orders, are handled by the Summit County Domestic Relations Court, which operates as a division of the Court of Common Pleas, while abuse, neglect, and cases involving minors go to the Summit County Juvenile Court.

Family court case files are public documents and can be found electronically over the internet through:

For certification or older records, check with the clerk of court at:

Appeal, Civil, Criminal, and Domestic Relations Divisions

Summit County Courthouse Annex

205 S. High St., 1st Floor

Akron, OH 44308-1662

Office operation hours are Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Federal Court Records in Summit County

Certain civil and criminal cases fall within federal jurisdiction. Common examples include bankruptcy-related matters, terrorism, and some fraud cases. These cases are handled by the U.S. Federal District Court even when they occur locally. Consequently, their case files are not kept by the Summit County Clerk of Court and will not be available on any of the Summit County Court portals.

To view these case files:

  • Access PACER-Public Access Court Electronic Records; and
  • Complete a PACER login to access case files

The Clerk of Court (District Court) also provides onsite access at the Federal District Courthouse. Copy requests cost 50 cents per page and up to $11.00 for certification. Requests can be made by mail or online by completing the following request form. Record seekers must also register to view cases. Registration attracts a 10-cent charge.

The District Courthouse is located at:

2 S. Main St.

Akron, OH 44303

(330) 375-5840

(corner Main and Market St.)

Summit County Court