Franklin County Criminal Records
Franklin County criminal records are on file at the Clerk of Courts, the Sheriff's Office, and the Franklin County Municipal Court in Columbus. As the most populous county in Ohio and home to the state capital, Franklin County processes a high volume of criminal cases each year. The Clerk of Courts runs the Case Information Online system for searching felony cases, civil matters, and domestic relations filings. The Sheriff's Office has an inmate search covering two corrections centers. The Municipal Court handles all misdemeanor cases and traffic violations for Columbus and surrounding areas. Whether you need to find a court case, check on someone in jail, or get copies of criminal filings, Franklin County has multiple search tools online and at the courthouse on South High Street.
Franklin County Overview
Franklin County Clerk of Courts Criminal Records
The Franklin County Clerk of Courts manages all criminal case files for the Court of Common Pleas. The office is at 373 South High Street in Columbus. Call the Legal Division at 614-525-3600. The Clerk handles records for the Common Pleas Court General Division, which covers civil and criminal cases, the Domestic Relations Division for divorce, custody, and support, and the 10th District Court of Appeals.
The Franklin County Clerk of Courts runs the Case Information Online (CIO) portal. You can search by case number, party name (first and last), filing date range, and case type. The system lets you filter results by court division and case status, whether the case is open or closed. Criminal case records show all filings, docket entries, court orders, judgments, party information, attorney names, and hearing schedules. The CIO system is available around the clock for basic case lookups.
The Franklin County Clerk of Courts website provides access to the Case Information Online system for searching criminal records and court dockets.
Standard copies cost $0.10 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus a $5.00 certification fee per document. Credit and debit card payments have a processing fee of $2.00 or 2.39%, whichever is greater. The office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. E-filing is available for attorneys and pro-se parties.
Due to a 2023 settlement with Courthouse News Service, the Franklin County Clerk's office now provides same-day access to new filings. This means criminal case information becomes available faster than in many other Ohio counties. Criminal case records are maintained permanently. The Clerk's office also accepts passport applications by appointment and processes notary public applications online.
| Office | Franklin County Clerk of Courts |
|---|---|
| Address | 373 South High Street Columbus, OH 43215 |
| Phone | 614-525-3600 (Legal Division) |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
Search Franklin County Arrest Records
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office runs two corrections centers. Corrections Center I is at 370 S. Front Street in Columbus. Call (614) 525-3368. Corrections Center II is at 2460 Jackson Pike in Columbus. Call (614) 525-7100. The Sheriff's Office provides an online Inmate Information Search that covers both facilities.
You can search for inmates by name (last name, first name) or booking number. The system lets you filter by offender status (current or released), sex, age, and race. Inmate records show the full name, booking number, State Identification number, physical description, booking date, charges, conviction type (infractions, misdemeanors, or felonies), housing location, custody status, and upcoming court dates. Mugshots are included in the search results.
Arrest records cost $6.00 each. Payment is accepted by cash or money order only. Background checks through BCI are available for $22 to $35. The Sheriff implemented a new automated inmate information search system in 2024. Records are public under ORC 149.43 with standard exemptions for ongoing investigations and personal identifiers.
As of August 2025, Corrections Center II switched from in-person visits to virtual visits only. Inmates get two free 20-minute virtual visits each week through GTL Viapath Technologies. Additional visits can be purchased. Personal mail is now scanned and delivered electronically to inmates as of May 2024.
Note: Bond information is not included in the Franklin County jail roster. Contact the Clerk of Courts at 614-525-3600 for bond amounts on specific cases.
Franklin County Municipal Court Criminal Records
The Franklin County Municipal Court is at 375 S. High Street in Columbus. Call (614) 645-8214 for general questions. The court handles misdemeanor criminal cases, traffic violations, civil cases up to $15,000, small claims up to $6,000, preliminary felony hearings, and eviction proceedings. This is one of the busiest municipal courts in Ohio.
The Clerk's Records Search portal lets you search online by case number, party name (last, first, and middle), company name, ticket number, date of birth, and case type. You must enter either a case number, ticket number, or both a last name and first name. Case numbers follow a specific format: the year plus a three-letter case code plus a six-digit sequence. For example, a 2027 criminal case would look like 2027 CR A 001234. Do not use hyphens when entering dates. Use forward slashes in MM/DD/YYYY format.
There is at least a 24-hour delay between court filings and posting to the website. The electronic case file is the Official Court Record. Paper copies may be disposed of at any time. If there is ever a difference between what the website shows and what the official records say, the official records win. Online payment is available for eligible citations. Cash, credit and debit cards, and certified checks are all accepted for in-person payments. The court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
Public Access to Franklin County Criminal Records
Franklin County follows Ohio's Public Records Act under ORC 149.43. Criminal court records are public. Anyone can view them during business hours. You do not need to state why you want the records. Requests must be specific enough to identify what records you need. The Clerk's office may ask for prepayment on large copy requests.
Sealed or expunged records are not available. Juvenile records are confidential under Ohio Revised Code 2151.358. Domestic Relations case documents are not viewable through CIO, but copies can be gotten through the Records Division. Under ORC 2953.32, some criminal records in Franklin County can be sealed after a waiting period. The fee is $50 plus up to $50 in local court costs. Violent felonies, sex offenses, and first or second degree felonies cannot be sealed.
The Franklin County Probate Court is on the 22nd floor at 373 South High Street in Columbus. Call (614) 525-3894. The court handles estates, guardianships, marriage licenses, name changes, and mental health commitments. Marriage records from 1803 to the present are available. The online Marriage License Index covers records from January 3, 1995 forward. For older records, visit the courthouse. Marriage record copies cost $1.00 per page plus $5.00 for certification. Regular copies are $0.10 per page.
Franklin County Recorder Criminal Records Links
The Franklin County Recorder's Office is at 373 South High Street in Columbus. Call 614-525-3930. While the Recorder mainly handles real estate records like deeds, mortgages, and liens, these documents can relate to criminal cases involving property fraud, judgment liens from restitution orders, or forfeiture actions. Documents from 1810 to 2023 are accessible through the online public search system at no charge.
You can search by name, document type, date range, or instrument number. Non-certified downloads are free. Certified documents take 48 hours to process and have a fee. Standard copies are $0.10 per page. The Recorder keeps permanent records on microfilm as backups.
Criminal Background Checks in Franklin County
For statewide criminal history checks, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation runs background checks through the WebCheck system. Under ORC 109.572, BCI checks are required for certain jobs and professional licenses. These cost $22 to $35 and pull records from all 88 Ohio counties including Franklin.
The Franklin County Sheriff's Office also processes BCI and FBI background checks directly. The ODRC Offender Search is free and covers anyone serving time in an Ohio state prison. You can search by name, inmate number, or date of birth. The Ohio Clerk of Courts Association has a directory of all county clerks if you need to search records in multiple Ohio counties.
WebCheck locations throughout Franklin County offer fingerprint-based background checks. These are the most thorough criminal record checks available in Ohio and pull from both state and federal databases.
Cities in Franklin County
Franklin County includes Columbus, the state capital and largest city in Ohio, along with Dublin and several other communities. Criminal cases from these cities go through the Franklin County court system. Columbus has its own police department that maintains separate arrest and incident records, but all felony cases are filed with the Franklin County Clerk of Courts.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Franklin County. If you need criminal records from a neighboring area, select a county below.