Lorain County Court Records Lookup

The following is for information purposes only

Lorain County is located in northeastern Ohio. The county has a land area of 490.5 square miles and is home to over 313,100 residents. Its county seat is Elyria City. The county court system consists of the Court of Common Pleas, Municipal Courts, and Mayor's Courts.

The Court of Common Pleas is the highest trial court in Lorain County. It is organized into the General, Probate, Domestic Relations, and Juvenile Divisions. The General Division handles felony criminal cases and civil claims exceeding $15,000. The Probate Division has authority over cases involving wills, trusts, guardianships, the administration of estates, and other probate matters. The Domestic Relations Division handles domestic and family matters like divorce, custody, visitation, support, and civil protection orders. The Juvenile Division hears cases of juvenile dependency, delinquency, paternity, and other cases concerning the behavior and welfare of minors. All Divisions of the Court of Common Pleas hear cases at the Lorain County Justice Center in Elyria. Municipal Courts, such as those in Elyria, Avon Lake, Lorain, and Oberlin, have jurisdiction over civil claims of up to $15,000, small claims, and traffic cases. Municipal Courts also handle misdemeanors, ordinance violations, and felony preliminary hearings. Furthermore, some municipalities like Avon, Grafton, and Sheffield Lake have a Mayor's Court with authority over municipal ordinance violations.

According to the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services, Lorain County had a crime rate of 5,990 offenses per 100,000 people in 2022. Similarly, in 2023, the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas resolved 2,446 criminal cases and 3,721 civil cases. All case records of the Court of Common Pleas, besides probate and juvenile records, are in the custody of the Lorain County Clerk of Courts. The Juvenile and Probate Divisions, as well as other courts in the county, maintain their case records. Interested persons can request these records by contacting the Clerk or records department of the relevant court. Furthermore, several court records are accessible online in Lorain County. Notably, civil, criminal, and domestic relations records of the Court of Common Pleas are available on the court clerk's Case Search Portal. The probate division has a separate online Records Search page. Some Municipal Courts also have online repositories for their case files. Unless declared confidential by statute or court order, most court records in Lorain County are open to the public.

In summary, the courts serving residents of Lorain County include the Court of Common Pleas, Municipal Courts, and Mayor's Courts. These courts form the primary dispute resolution system in the county. By approaching the relevant court, litigants can plead their cases and get judgments backed by law. Parties can also make future references to court decisions as they are available for public access.