Belmont County Criminal Court Records Search
Belmont County criminal court records are managed by the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse in St. Clairsville. Laura Zupko has served as Clerk since September 2023. The office maintains all case files from the Court of Common Pleas, which covers felony crimes, civil litigation, and domestic relations cases. Online access is available through the CourtView system. You can also visit the courthouse in person to search records or request copies. The county has multiple court divisions, including Northern, Eastern, and Western branches that handle misdemeanor and traffic matters. Most court records are public under Ohio law, with exceptions for sealed, expunged, and juvenile cases.
Belmont County Clerk of Courts Office
The Belmont County Clerk of Courts serves as the official keeper of records for the General Division of the Common Pleas Court. Laura Zupko leads the office. The Legal Division is on the 3rd floor of the Belmont County Courthouse at 101 West Main Street, St. Clairsville, OH 43950. Office hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office handles all filing, docketing, and indexing for criminal, civil, domestic relations, and appellate cases from the Seventh District Court of Appeals.
The Title Division is at a separate location: 52180 National Road, Suite A, St. Clairsville, OH 43950. Title office hours differ slightly, with Monday running 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. The Clerk's office is committed to serving all Belmont County citizens with efficient access to court records and filing services.
Search Belmont County Criminal Records Online
The Belmont County Courts public records page gives access through the CourtView system. You can search by name, case type, status, and other criteria. The system pulls records from the Common Pleas Court and other divisions. Most records are public. Juvenile records, sealed cases, expunged records, and certain family law files are confidential and will not appear.
In-person access is available at the courthouse during regular hours. You can also send a mail request with payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The CourtView system provides unified access to records from multiple courts in the county. If you need records that are not in the online system, a visit to the 3rd floor of the courthouse is the best option.
Under ORC Section 149.43, public records must be made available promptly during regular business hours. You do not need to state why you want the records. If access is denied, you can file a complaint with the Ohio Court of Claims.
Note: CourtView data may not include the most recent filings and should not be used as evidence in legal proceedings.
Criminal Court Records in Belmont County
The Belmont County Common Pleas Court at 101 West Main Street, St. Clairsville, phone (740) 695-2121, has jurisdiction over felony criminal cases and civil cases over $15,000. Under ORC Chapter 2301, this court handles the most serious criminal matters in the county. Drug crimes, violent offenses, property crimes, and white-collar fraud all fall under its jurisdiction.
The county also has three branch courts. The Northern Division is at 52160 National Road, phone (740) 676-4490. The Eastern Division shares the same address, phone (740) 499-2308. The Western Division can be reached at (740) 695-2875. These courts handle misdemeanor crimes and traffic violations.
The Belmont County court records page provides additional details on accessing records from all divisions. The Belmont County Sheriff's Office at 68137 Hammond Road, St. Clairsville, phone (740) 695-7933, maintains arrest records and criminal history data. Background checks require WebCheck fingerprint submission through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
This screenshot shows a Belmont County resource page with links to court records search tools and contact details for the Clerk of Courts.
Types of Belmont County Court Cases
Felony cases in Belmont County go through the Common Pleas Court. The Domestic Relations Division handles divorces, custody disputes, and protection orders. The Belmont County Probate and Juvenile Courts are presided over by Judge Albert E. Davies. The Probate Court is at 101 W Main Street, phone (740) 699-2144, email probatecourt@co.belmont.oh.us. The Juvenile Court phone is (740) 699-2141, email juvenilecourt@co.belmont.oh.us.
Marriage records from the Probate Court go back to 1803. The court handles estates, guardianships, adoptions, and marriage licenses. Adoption records are sealed once finalized. Juvenile records stay confidential. The lower courts handle misdemeanor cases and traffic violations under ORC Title 19.
Note: Sealed and expunged records cannot be accessed through any public search tool.
Getting Copies of Belmont County Records
Visit the Clerk's office on the 3rd floor of the courthouse at 101 West Main Street in St. Clairsville. Bring the case number or party name. Staff will pull the file and make copies for you. Certified copies cost more than standard ones. You can also mail a request with payment to the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse address.
For statewide criminal background checks, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation charges $22 for state-only or $34 for combined state and FBI checks. BCI checks require fingerprint submission at a WebCheck location. The Ohio Department of Public Safety has more info on background checks and record sealing.
Belmont County Legal Resources
Ohio Legal Help offers free guides on court records, sealing records, and finding legal aid in your area. The Ohio State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service and publishes info about Ohio public records law. The Ohio Courts Network lets you look up any court in the state by county or type. For federal cases, the PACER system gives access to records from the Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio.
Cities in Belmont County
Belmont County includes St. Clairsville, which is the county seat, along with Martins Ferry, Bellaire, and other smaller communities. None of these towns have populations over 100,000. All felony criminal court records for the county are managed through the Belmont County Clerk of Courts in St. Clairsville. Misdemeanor cases go through the county's branch courts.
Nearby Counties
If you need criminal court records from areas near Belmont County, each neighboring county maintains its own court system:
Records filed in one county will not show up in another county's system. Make sure to search the right county for your records.