Search Licking County Civil Court Records
Licking County civil court records are filed and kept at the courthouse in Newark. The Clerk of Courts maintains records for the General Division, Domestic Relations Division, and the 5th District Court of Appeals. You can search for civil case filings online through the county's electronic records portal or visit the clerk's office during business hours. Licking County court records date all the way back to 1808 when the county was first formed. Today, most searches can be done from a computer. The General Division handles civil suits, foreclosures, and appeals, while the Domestic Relations Division covers divorce, custody, and support cases.
Licking County Civil Court Records Overview
Licking County Clerk of Courts
The Licking County Clerk of Courts handles all civil case filings for the Court of Common Pleas. The office has two main locations. The General Division sits at 1 Courthouse Square in Newark. The Domestic Relations Division is at 75 E. Main Street, also in Newark. Both offices are open on weekdays and can help you find case records, get copies, or file new documents.
| Office | Licking County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| General Division | 1 Courthouse Square, Newark, OH 43055 |
| Phone | (740) 670-5791 |
| DR Division | 75 E. Main Street, Newark, OH 43055 |
| DR Phone | (740) 670-5392 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. |
The Probate-Juvenile Division has its own office at 1 North Park Place in Newark. You can reach them at (740) 670-5624. Probate records include wills, estates, and guardianships. Juvenile court records are generally not public under Ohio law, so access to those files is limited.
Note: The clerk's office closes at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and does not open on legal holidays.
How to Search Licking County Court Records
Licking County offers an electronic records portal for searching civil court cases. You can look up records by party name, case number, or case type. The system covers General Division and Domestic Relations cases. It shows docket entries, filing dates, case status, and party details. The portal runs online and is free to use.
For Common Pleas civil cases, the Licking County Common Pleas Public Portal lets you search by full name, party type, file date, case status, or date of birth. Case numbers must be entered in a specific format: a 4-digit year, a 2-letter case code, and a 5-digit sequence with spaces. For example, 2015 CR 12345 or 2000 DR 00123. Stalking civil protection cases have been removed from the online portal.
This site pulls public court data from Licking County and can help you find case filings, docket entries, and court orders.
Licking County also has a Municipal Court at 40 W Main Street in Newark. The Municipal Court handles traffic cases, misdemeanors, and civil cases up to $15,000. Small claims go up to $6,000. Two judges serve this court. Phone: (740) 670-7800.
Licking County Court Records Copies
Copy fees in Licking County are low. Plain copies cost 5 cents per page. Certified copies cost $2 per page. You can also get authenticated copies for $2 each. Payment methods vary, so call ahead to confirm what the office takes. If you send a written request by mail, include a self-addressed stamped envelope and the payment amount.
For records from before 1992, you may need to contact the Licking County Records & Archives Center. The clerk's office keeps records from 1992 to present. Older records, some dating back to the county's founding in 1808, are stored at the archives facility. The Licking County Records & Archives page has more details on what historical records are available.
The Licking County Records and Archives Center holds historical court records going back to 1808.
If you need court records from before 1992, this is the place to look. The archive maintains clerk of courts records from the county's earliest days.
Public Records Law in Licking County
Civil court records in Licking County are public under Ohio Revised Code ยง 149.43. This is the Ohio Public Records Act. It says any person can ask for public records. You do not need to give a reason. The office must hand them over promptly. They cannot ask why you want them.
Some records are not public. Juvenile cases, sealed files, medical records, and attorney-client documents are exempt. If a record has both public and exempt parts, the clerk will give you what is public and redact the rest. You will be told about any redactions.
If you are denied access, you can file a complaint with the Ohio Court of Claims. The filing fee is $25. The process starts with mediation. A court can award up to $1,000 in damages if it finds noncompliance with the public records law.
Licking County Court System
The Licking County Court of Common Pleas has four divisions. The General Division handles civil cases where the amount exceeds the jurisdiction of lower courts, plus felony criminal cases and foreclosures. The Domestic Relations Division covers divorce, dissolution, custody, and support. The Juvenile Division deals with cases involving minors. The Probate Division handles wills, estates, guardianships, and adoptions.
Licking County is part of the 5th Appellate District. Appeals from local civil cases go through that court. You can search appellate filings through the Ohio Supreme Court's ECMS portal, which has case data going back to 1985. The Ohio trial courts directory lists all courts in each county with links to local rules.
Statewide Resources for Licking County
The Ohio Supreme Court opinions database has decisions from all 12 appellate districts going back to at least 2001. The Ohio Clerk of Courts Association keeps a directory of all 88 county clerks. The eFileOH system supports electronic filing in participating courts. It runs 24/7 and does not need special software.
Cities in Licking County
The following city in Licking County has its own civil court records page:
Nearby Counties
If you need civil court records from counties near Licking County, check these: