Perry County Criminal Court Records
Perry County criminal court records are held by the Clerk of Courts in New Lexington, Ohio. This office serves as the main custodian for all case files from the Court of Common Pleas, which has jurisdiction over felony crimes, civil disputes, and domestic relations matters. You can search records in person at the courthouse or reach the office by phone. The Clerk also stores appellate case files for the 5th District Court of Appeals. Most records are open to the public under Ohio law, with some limits on sealed and expunged cases. If you need to check a case or get a copy of court documents, the Perry County Clerk of Courts is where to start.
Perry County Clerk of Courts Office
The Perry County Clerk of Courts is the official record keeper for the Perry County Court of Common Pleas. The office is at the Perry County Courthouse, 105 N. Main Street, New Lexington, Ohio 43764. Staff handle all filing, docketing, and indexing for criminal, civil, and domestic cases. Hours run Monday through Friday during regular business hours. You can call ahead to check on a case or ask about the process for getting copies.
The Perry County Clerk of Courts maintains records going back years. Criminal case files include initial charges, motions, court orders, trial transcripts, and final judgments. The office also handles bonds, jury management, and oaths. If you plan to visit, bring a case number or the full name of the person you are looking up. That makes the search faster for staff and for you.
Note: The office is closed on weekends and legal holidays, so plan your visit for a weekday.
How to Search Perry County Criminal Records
Start with an in-person visit to the Clerk of Courts at 105 N. Main Street in New Lexington. Walk in and ask staff to pull the file you need. You can search by case number or by the name of the person involved. The Perry County Municipal Court handles misdemeanor cases, traffic tickets, and small civil claims, so check which court has jurisdiction over the case you want.
Under ORC Section 149.43, Ohio's public records law gives you the right to inspect court records without stating a reason. The Clerk must make records available during normal business hours. Fees for plain copies run about $0.10 per page, and certified copies cost around $1.00 per page plus a certification fee. You can pay with cash, check, or money order at most offices. Some offices now take credit cards with a small convenience fee on top.
If you cannot visit in person, you can send a written request by mail to the Perry County Clerk of Courts at the courthouse address. Include the case number or name, what records you need, and payment for estimated copy costs. The office will mail copies back to you once the request is processed.
Criminal Court Records in Perry County
The Perry County Court of Common Pleas General Division hears all felony criminal cases in the county. This includes serious offenses like aggravated murder, rape, aggravated robbery, burglary, felonious assault, and major drug crimes. The court also handles civil matters over $15,000 and domestic relations cases. Every case that moves through this court gets recorded by the Clerk of Courts, from the first filing through the final outcome.
The Perry County Sheriff's Office keeps its own set of records. These include arrest logs and jail inmate data. The Sheriff provides law enforcement across the county and works with the courts to process warrants, serve papers, and transport inmates. If you need an arrest record rather than a court record, the Sheriff's Office is the place to ask.
The image above shows a resource page for Perry County that can help you start a search for criminal case records and other court filings in the county.
Types of Cases in Perry County Courts
The Common Pleas Court covers felonies. Drug charges, theft, assault, burglary, and fraud all go through this court. The Domestic Relations Division handles divorces, custody fights, and protection orders. Probate Court deals with estates, guardianships, and marriage licenses. Juvenile Court handles cases tied to minors, including delinquency and child protection matters.
Municipal courts in Perry County process misdemeanor crimes and traffic violations under ORC Title 19. These are less serious offenses that carry shorter sentences or fines. If a misdemeanor gets bound over to the Common Pleas Court, the records transfer there. Knowing which court holds a record is the first step in any search for criminal court records in Perry County.
Note: Juvenile records are confidential and will not show up in a standard court record search.
Perry County Court Fees and Copies
Standard copy fees in Perry County follow Ohio law. Plain copies cost $0.10 per page. Certified copies run $1.00 per page plus a certification charge. If you need an exemplified or triple-seal copy for use in another state, there is an extra fee. The Clerk can give you the exact amount before you pay.
Payment options include cash, check, and money order. Some transactions now allow credit card payments with a small convenience fee. If you are requesting copies by mail, include a check or money order made out to the Perry County Clerk of Courts. The office will let you know if more money is needed before they send the copies.
Perry County Legal Resources
Ohio Legal Help offers free guides on how to search court records, seal a record, or find a lawyer. The site has tools for people who go to court on their own. It also lists legal aid groups by region. The Ohio State Bar Association runs a lawyer referral service and puts out information on public records law in Ohio. For statewide criminal background checks, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation does fingerprint-based checks at $22 for state-only or $34 for combined state and FBI checks.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety has info on expungement and record sealing for those who qualify. If your request for records gets denied, you can file an action with the Ohio Court of Claims, which resolves disputes over public records access.
Cities in Perry County
Perry County includes the towns of New Lexington, Crooksville, Somerset, and Thornville. None of these communities have populations over 100,000, so all criminal court records for the county are managed through the Perry County Clerk of Courts in New Lexington. Every felony case from across the county goes through the Common Pleas Court there.
Nearby Counties
If you need criminal court records from areas near Perry County, each of these neighboring counties has its own Clerk of Courts and court system:
Each county keeps its own records. A case filed in Athens County will not show up in a Perry County search. Make sure you check the right county.