Shelby County Criminal Court Records
Shelby County criminal court records are managed by the Clerk of Courts at the courthouse in Sidney. Michele K. Mumford serves as the elected Clerk. The office handles filing, docketing, indexing, and preserving all court pleadings for civil, felony criminal, and domestic relations cases. You can search for records in person, by phone, or through the county's online public records search tools. Ohio law guarantees public access to most court records, with limited exceptions for sealed and expunged files. If you need to look up a criminal case, check on a pending charge, or get copies of court filings in Shelby County, the Clerk of Courts office is the main resource.
Shelby County Clerk of Courts Office
The Shelby County Clerk of Courts Legal Department is at 100 East Court Street, Third Floor, Courthouse, P.O. Box 809, Sidney, Ohio 45365. You can call at 937-498-7221 or email mmumford@shelbycountyclerkofcourts.com. Hours run Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The office is the core of the court, filing and preserving all pleadings for civil, criminal, and domestic cases.
The Clerk's office handles Court of Common Pleas filings, Court of Appeals processing, passport agent services, automobile titles, and watercraft registration. For criminal court records, the Legal Department is what you need. Staff can help you find a case, pull a file, and make copies. Payments on existing cases can be made by credit card over the phone at 937-498-7221 or in person. There is a 3% convenience fee with a minimum of $2.00 for credit cards. Cashier's checks, money orders, and local checks are also accepted.
Note: If a check is returned for insufficient funds, a $35 fee is assessed and criminal charges may be filed under ORC 2913.11.
Search Shelby County Criminal Records
The Shelby County Public Records Search system lets you look up case information for civil, criminal, domestic relations, and other case types filed in the Common Pleas Court. You can search by name or case number. For more detailed records or certified copies, contact the Clerk's office directly.
In-person visits provide the fullest access. Go to 100 East Court Street, Third Floor, in Sidney. Bring a case number or name. Staff will pull the file and let you look through it. Standard copies are $0.10 per page. Certified copies run $1.00 per page plus a certification fee. You can pay with cash, check, money order, or credit card.
The Sidney Municipal Court handles misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases for all of Shelby County. The court is at 110 West Court Street, Sidney, Ohio 45365. Judge Gary J. Carter presides. Tony Kremer serves as Court Administrator and Clerk of Court. You can call the Clerk's Office at 937-498-0011. Hours are Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with Saturday arraignments from 8:00 AM to Noon. If you need a misdemeanor record, check the municipal court first.
Criminal Court Records in Shelby County
The Shelby County Court of Common Pleas General Division hears all felony criminal cases in the county. Drug charges, theft, assault, weapons offenses, burglary, and fraud all go through this court. Each case generates a file that includes the initial charges, bond details, plea entries, motions, hearing transcripts, and the final sentencing order. These records are public under Ohio law unless sealed by a judge.
The image above shows a resource page for Shelby County that can help you start a search for criminal case records and related court documents.
Bond information for Shelby County follows specific rules. OR Bonds cost $63.00 in cash. 10% Bonds require 10% of the bond amount in cash plus $88.00 RRF in cash. Full Bonds need the entire bond amount plus $88.00 RRF. Surety Bonds need the surety bond plus $88.00 RRF. All bonds must be paid in cash or surety.
Shelby County Court Fees
Standard copies cost $0.10 per page. Certified copies are $1.00 per page plus certification. Credit card payments carry a 3% convenience fee with a minimum of $2.00. Cashier's checks, money orders, and local checks are accepted by mail. Make checks payable to "Shelby Co. Clerk of Courts."
Viewing records at the courthouse is free. You pay only for copies. For mail requests, include prepayment. The Clerk will let you know if more money is needed. Under ORC Section 149.43, the office must provide prompt access to public records during business hours.
Shelby County Legal Resources
Ohio Legal Help has free tools for searching records, sealing records, and finding legal aid. The Ohio State Bar Association provides a lawyer referral service and information about Ohio's public records law. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation runs fingerprint-based background checks at $22 for state-only or $34 for combined state and FBI.
The Ohio Department of Public Safety provides information on expungement and record sealing. If a records request is denied, the Ohio Court of Claims can resolve the dispute. The court system in Shelby County operates under ORC Chapter 2301 for Common Pleas jurisdiction.
Cities in Shelby County
Shelby County includes Sidney, Anna, Botkins, and Jackson Center, along with other small communities. None have populations over 100,000. All felony criminal court records for the county go through the Shelby County Clerk of Courts in Sidney. The Sidney Municipal Court covers misdemeanor and traffic cases countywide.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Shelby County, each with its own court system:
Records from one county do not show up in another county's database. Make sure you search in the county where the case was filed.