Union County Public Records /Union County Court Records

Union County Court Records

How To Find Court Records in Union County in 2026

Members of the public seeking court records in Union County, Ohio, may access publicly available case information through UnionOHRecords.us, which aggregates data drawn from official sources. Court records in Union County may include civil case filings, felony and misdemeanor criminal proceedings, domestic relations matters, probate filings, Certificate of Judgment entries, and Court of Appeals decisions. The availability and completeness of any individual record depends on the case type, the court of origin, and applicable access restrictions under Ohio law.

Court records in Union County may be searched through five primary methods:

Clerk of Court or Court Records Office — The Union County Clerk of Courts maintains the official record for the Court of Common Pleas and the Third District Court of Appeals. Members of the public may appear in person during business hours to request case files or index searches. Providing a full party name, case number, or approximate filing date assists staff in locating records efficiently.
Courthouse Public Access Terminals — Public computer terminals are available at the Union County Courthouse for on-site case index searches. These terminals allow inspection of docket entries and case status without charge, though printed copies are subject to standard copy fees.
Online Court Search — The Public Records Search and eFiling portal maintained by the Union County Clerk of Courts allows remote searches of Domestic, Civil, Certificate of Judgment, Court of Appeals, and Felony Criminal cases. Certified copies are not available through the online portal; requestors requiring certified documents must contact the Clerk's office directly at ClerkofCourtsLegal@unioncountyohio.gov.
State-Level Judicial Search Tools — The Ohio Supreme Court's online docket provides access to Supreme Court case information. The Ohio Courts Network and related statewide tools may supplement local searches for appellate and transferred matters.
Written or Mail Requests — Members of the public who cannot appear in person may submit written requests to the Clerk of Courts. Requests should identify the case by party name, case number, or filing date range. Fees for copies and certified documents apply and must be remitted before records are released.

Union County Clerk of Courts
198 W. Fifth St., Suite 1
Marysville, OH 43040
Phone: (937) 645-3006
Clerk of Courts – Union County, Ohio

Are Court Records Public In Union County

Court records in Union County are subject to public access under Ohio Revised Code § 149.43, Ohio's Public Records Act, which establishes a broad presumption that records maintained by public offices are open to inspection and copying. As stated in the statute, "upon request, a public office or person responsible for public records shall make copies available at cost." This presumption extends to court filings, docket entries, judgments, and orders maintained by the Clerk of Courts.

Records that are public under current law include:

Docket entries and case indexes
Party names and case numbers
Hearing dates, continuances, and scheduling orders
Filed motions, complaints, petitions, and answers
Judgments, sentencing entries, and final orders
Court of Appeals decisions and entries

Certain categories of records are confidential, sealed, or restricted by statute or court rule:

Juvenile court records, which are protected under Ohio Revised Code § 2151.18
Adoption records and related proceedings
Mental health commitment records
Sealed or expunged criminal records
Protected personal identifiers such as Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and dates of birth in certain filings
Records subject to specific court orders restricting access

A distinction exists between courthouse inspection and online access. While the physical case file may be inspected at the Clerk's office, not all documents are reproduced in the online portal. Sealed filings, exhibits, and restricted attachments are withheld from both in-person and electronic access where applicable.

What Are Court Records in Union County?

Court records are the official documents, filings, and entries created and maintained by a court or its clerk in connection with judicial proceedings. In Union County, the Clerk of Courts serves as the official record keeper for the Court of Common Pleas and the Third District Court of Appeals, preserving the documentary history of each case from initial filing through final disposition and any subsequent appeal.

A docket entry is a chronological notation of each action taken in a case, while a full case file encompasses all physical or electronic documents filed by the parties and the court. Civil court records arise from disputes between private parties or between a party and a government entity, while criminal court records document the prosecution of offenses under state law. Filed pleadings such as complaints and answers initiate and frame the dispute; final judgments resolve it. Public filings are accessible under Ohio's open-records framework, while sealed or restricted filings are withheld pursuant to statute or court order.

Trial court records originate in the Court of Common Pleas and are maintained by the Clerk of Courts. Appellate records, including those of the Third District Court of Appeals, are also maintained by the Union County Clerk of Courts. When a matter is appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court, the record is transmitted to and maintained by that court's clerk. Court records are created at the moment of filing and are updated continuously as parties submit documents, hearings occur, and the court issues orders, until the case reaches final disposition or is transferred or archived.

What's Included in a Union County Court Record?

A Union County court record may contain, depending on case type and applicable public-access rules, the following categories of information:

Case identification: case number, court name and division, filing date, and case type
Party information: names of plaintiffs, defendants, petitioners, respondents, and counsel of record
Case status: open, closed, on appeal, or transferred
Docket entries: a chronological log of all filings, hearings, and court actions
Hearing information: scheduled and completed hearing dates, continuances, and minute entries
Filed documents: motions, complaints, petitions, answers, responses, notices, stipulations, and exhibits admitted into the public record
Court orders and judgments: interlocutory orders, final judgments, sentencing entries, custody rulings, probate orders, decrees, and appellate decisions
Outcome information: dismissals, pleas, verdicts, convictions, acquittals, and case dispositions
Administrative and financial data: filing fees, assessed court costs, fines, restitution amounts, and bond information where publicly shown

Records that are excluded or restricted include sealed filings, expunged criminal matters, juvenile case files, adoption records, protected personal identifiers, and certain exhibits or attachments subject to court order. The Public Records Search Disclaimer maintained by the Clerk of Courts notes that the online index covers Domestic, Civil, Certificate of Judgment, Court of Appeals, and Felony Criminal cases, and that access to specific document images may differ from access to index data.

Types of Courts in Union County

Union County is served by a court structure established under the Ohio Constitution and the Ohio Revised Code. The primary trial court is the Union County Court of Common Pleas, which operates through several divisions:

General Division: hears felony criminal cases and civil matters where the amount in controversy exceeds the jurisdictional threshold
Domestic Relations Division: handles divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and related custody and support matters
Probate Division: administers estates, guardianships, adoptions, and mental health commitments; Probate Division Records are maintained separately and include historical records available for search
Juvenile Division: handles matters involving minors, including delinquency, dependency, neglect, and abuse cases

The Union County Municipal Court exercises limited jurisdiction over misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, and civil matters below the statutory threshold. The Third District Court of Appeals hears appeals from the Court of Common Pleas and other courts within its district, with records maintained by the Union County Clerk of Courts.

The Clerk of Courts is the official record keeper for both the Court of Common Pleas and the Third District Court of Appeals. The Municipal Court maintains its own separate records. The Ohio Courts Network provides a statewide directory of court locations and jurisdictions.

Union County Court of Common Pleas
198 W. Fifth St.
Marysville, OH 43040
Phone: (937) 645-3006
Union County Ohio Courts

Union County Municipal Court
227 E. Fifth St.
Marysville, OH 43040
Phone: (937) 645-4150
Union County Municipal Court

How to Search Union County Court Records for Free?

Members of the public may inspect court records at no charge through several methods. In-person inspection at the Clerk of Courts office is free; staff will retrieve case files or allow access to public terminals without a fee. The online public records search portal is also available at no cost for index and docket searches.

The following table summarizes current access methods and associated costs:

Access Method	Cost
In-person inspection of case file	Free
Courthouse public access terminal	Free
Online case index and docket search	Free
Standard paper copies	Per-page fee (set by court rule)
Certified copies	Fee per document (contact Clerk for current schedule)
Electronic copies via email request	Fee may apply

Under Ohio Revised Code § 149.43, a public office may charge only the actual cost of copies, not a research or retrieval fee. Certified copies carry an additional certification charge established by the Clerk's fee schedule. Members of the public requiring certified copies are directed to contact the Clerk of Courts at ClerkofCourtsLegal@unioncountyohio.gov for current fee amounts prior to submitting a request.

How Long Does Union County Keep Court Records?

Retention periods for Union County court records are governed by the Ohio Common Pleas Court Records Retention Schedule and related directives issued by the Ohio Supreme Court. Retention periods vary by case type and record category:

Felony criminal case files: retained permanently or for extended periods due to the severity of the offense and potential for post-conviction proceedings
Civil case files: retained for a minimum period following final judgment, with the specific term dependent on the nature of the action
Domestic relations and custody records: retained for extended periods given the ongoing nature of custody and support orders
Probate records: many probate records, including wills and estate inventories, are retained permanently as historical documents
Traffic and minor misdemeanor files: subject to shorter retention schedules, with destruction authorized after the minimum period has elapsed
Docket books and minute records: retained permanently as the official chronological record of court proceedings
Judgment entries: retained permanently in most jurisdictions as they establish legal rights and obligations

Paper files may be destroyed after imaging, microfilming, or transfer to archival storage, provided the retention schedule authorizes destruction and the record has been preserved in an approved alternative format. Destruction, archival retention, sealing, redaction, and expungement are distinct processes: destruction removes the record entirely; archival retention preserves it in a non-active repository; sealing restricts access without destroying the record; redaction removes specific information from a publicly accessible document; and expungement, authorized under Ohio Revised Code § 2953.32, seals the official record of a criminal conviction upon court order. Older records may exist in paper files, microfilm, county archives, or the Ohio History Connection's state archives.

How To Find a Court Docket in Union County

A court docket is the official chronological log of all actions taken in a case, distinct from the full case file, which contains the actual documents filed. The docket records each filing, hearing, order, and status change from the date of initiation through final disposition, providing a procedural roadmap of the case without necessarily reproducing the full text of every document.

In Union County, dockets for Common Pleas and Court of Appeals cases are accessible through the online public records search, which indexes Domestic, Civil, Certificate of Judgment, Court of Appeals, and Felony Criminal matters. To locate a docket through the portal, a user may search by party name or case number. The results display docket entries in chronological order, including filing dates, motion descriptions, hearing dates, and order notations.

To find a docket step by step:

Navigate to the Clerk of Courts' Public Records Search and eFiling portal
Select the appropriate case category (Civil, Criminal, Domestic, etc.)
Enter the party's last name, first name, or case number in the search fields
Review the case list returned and select the relevant matter
Access the docket entries displayed for that case

A docket entry reflects the title and date of each action but does not include the full text of sealed filings, confidential exhibits, or restricted attachments. Hearing calendars and daily court schedules may be available separately through the court's administrative office. Members of the public who require docket information for cases not appearing in the online index may request a docket printout from the Clerk of Courts in person or by written request. As noted by the Union County Clerk of Courts, "the Public Records and Index include Domestic, Civil, Certificate of Judgment, Court of Appeals and Felony Criminal cases," establishing the scope of the online docket search tool.