COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
To view a listing of the Common Pleas Court Judges from 1857 to present, Click Here
The origins of the court of common pleas date to the Northwest Territorial Act of 1788 which established the court, and empowered the governor to appoint judges with jurisdiction in civil matters. The Ohio Constitution of 1802 provided for the creation of a court of common pleas in each county to be appointed by the Ohio General Assembly. Judges served seven-year terms or as long as they behaved well. The constitution also gave the court powers in probate, testamentary, and criminal matters. A legislative act the following year provided the court with original jurisdiction in all cases, both in law and equity.
In 1838, a superior court was established in Cincinnati with concurrent powers to that of the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas. The 1851 Constitution decreed that judges would be elected by the people for seven-year terms. The probate court was also begun as a separate court or division of the common pleas court.
Statutory enactments, increasing caseloads, and a changing society have led to the creation of a number of courts and departments of special jurisdiction under the court of common pleas umbrella. In 1904, the juvenile court was established with original jurisdiction in matters relating to minors. Nine years later, a domestic relations court was introduced to hear cases of divorce, alimony, illegitimacy, neglect and abuse of children, along with nonsupport and desertion cases. In 1925, each county was authorized to create a department of probation in the common pleas court to provide jurisdiction over probationers and parolees in the county. The department also received legal custody of parolees from penal and correctional instructions.
While most court of common pleas records are open to the public, records pertaining to parole, probation, and adoption are closed under section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code.
(Source: Ohio County Records Manual, Revised Edition. Ohio History Society aka Ohio History Connection)
Appearance Dockets
#1: 1847-1851 #13: 1889-1892 #23: 1914-1915
#4: 1857-1860 #14: 1892-1895 #24: 1915-1917
#5: 1861-1869 #15: 1895-1898
#6: 1869-1874 #16: 1898-1901
#7: 1874-1877 #17: 1901-1904
#8: 1877-1878 #18: 1905-1906
#9: 1878-1882 #19: 1906-1908
#10: 1881-1883 #20: 1908-1910
#11: 1883-1886 #21: 1910-1912
#12: 1886-1889 #22: 1912-1914
Appearance Docket & Cost Book
(Includes Names, Dates, Petitions and Appeals)
#1: 1840-1885 #3: 1854-1857
Appearance and Execution Docket Index
(Includes Parties, Attorneys, Costs, Pleadings Files, Actions, Findings, Decrees, Judgements, Orders and Sheriff’s Returns)
#1: 1917-1919 #24: 1947-1948 #47: 1972-1973 #70: 1983-1983
#2: 1919-1920 #25: 1948-1950 #48: 1973-1973 #71: 1983-1984
#3: 1920-1922 #26: 1950-1951 #49: 1973-1974 #72: 1984-1984
#4: 1922-1923 #27: 1951-1953 #50: 1974-1974 #73: 1984-1985
#5: 1923-1924 #28: 1953-1954 #51: 1974-1975 #74: 1985-1985
#6: 1924-1925 #29: 1954-1955 #52: 1975-1975 #75: 1985-1985
#7: 1925-1926 #30: 1955-1956 #53: 1975-1976 #76: 1985-1986
#8: 1926-1927 #31: 1956-1957 #54: 1976-1976 #77: 1986-1986
#9: 1927-1928 #32: 1957-1958 #55: 1977-1977 #78: 1986-1987
#10: 1928-1930 #33: 1958-1959 #56: 1977-1978 #79: 1987-1987
#11: 1930-1931 #34: 1959-1961 #57: 1978-1978 #80: 1987-1987
#12: 1931-1932 #35: 1961-1962 #58: 1978-1978 #81: 1987-1987
#13: 1932-1933 #36: 1962-1962 #59: 1978-1979 #82: 1987-1988
#14: 1933-1934 #37: 1962-1963 #60: 1979-1979 #83: 1988-1988
#15: 1934-1935 #38: 1964-1965 #61: 1979-1980 #84: 1988-1988
#16: 1935-1936 #39: 1965-1966 #62: 1980-1980 #85: 1988-1989
#17: 1936-1938 #40: 1966-1967 #63: 1980-1981 #86: 1989-1989
#18: 1938-1939 #41: 1967-1967 #64: 1981-1981 #87: 1989-1989
#19: 1939-1940 #42: 1968-1969 #65: 1981-1981 #88: 1989-1990
#20: 1940-1942 #43: 1969-1969 #66: 1981-1982 #89: 1990-1990
#21: 1942-1943 #44: 1969-1970 #67: 1982-1982 #90: 1990-1990
#22: 1943-1945 #45: 1970-1971 #68: 1982-1982 #91: 1990-1990
#23: 1945-1947 #46: 1971-1972 #69: 1983-1983 #92: 1990-1991
#93: 1991-1991
Civil Witness Docket
(Includes Case Numbers, Dates, Plaintiffs, Defendants, Witnesses and Fees)
#15: 1925-1935 #19: 1975-1980 #22: 1984-1992
#16: 1935-1946 #20: 1980-1982
#17: 1946-1952 #21: 1982-1984
Trial Docket (April 1913 Term)
(Includes Case numbers, Attorneys, Parties, Actions, Dates of Filed Petitions, Pleadings and Orders of the Court)
Common Pleas Journal
Book 1 pages 28 and 29, contains Sophia B. Hayes (President Rutherford B. Hayes mother) inheritance from Rutherford B. Hayes Jr. (President Hayes father)
1825-1831
Execution and Lien Docket
(Includes Transcripts of Execution and Lien Records, Dates, Plaintiffs, Defendants, Constables, Cost, Judges and Court Decisions)
#1: 1877-1890
Lien Docket
(Includes Transcripts of Lien Record, Dates, Plaintiffs, Defendants, Constables, Costs, Judges and Court Decisions)
#2: 1890-1901 #3: 1902-1923 #4: 1924-1938
General Index
(Includes Names of Parties, Dates, Judgment of Decrees, Journal Page Numbers, Complete Record Page Numbers, Execution Docket Page Numbers and Remarks)
1833-1855 1856-1875
Judgment Costs and Witnesses
(Includes Case Title, Dates, and Itemized Totals for Damages)
#2: 1851-1855
Judgement Index, Direct
(Includes Given Names, Names of Judgement Creditors, Names of Judgment Debtors, Case Numbers, Terms of Judgment, Journal Pages, Final Records, Nature of Suits, Amount of Judgements, Execution Dockets, Date of Executions, Dates Satisfied)
#1: 1825-1835 #6: 1875-1886 #11: 1932-1946
#2: 1835-1843 #7: 1886-1896 #12: 1947-1961
#3: 1843-1856 #8: 1896-1902
#4: 1856-1866 #9: 1903-1919
#5: 1866-1876 #10: 1919-1932
Judgment Index, Reverse
(Includes Names of Judgement Debtors, Names of Judgement Creditors, Terms of Judgement or Decree, Numbers of Cases and Dockets, Journal Pages, Final Records Page, Nature of Suit, Nature and Amount of Judgement or Decrees, Execution Dockets, Dates and Execution and Dates Satisfied)
#1: 1825-1835 #6: 1875-1886 #11: 1932-1946
#2: 1835-1843 #7: 1886-1896 #12: 1947-1961
#3: 1843-1856 #8: 1896-1902
#4: 1856-1866 #9: 1903-1919
#5: 1866-1876 #10: 1919-1932
Complete Record
(Includes Plaintiffs, Defendants, Verdicts, Sentences, Attorney Information, Judge Assignments, Sheriff Returns, Warrants)
#1-265: 1970-1980
#266-317: 1981-1984
Supreme Court Journals
(Details Record of Cases Brought to Court)
#2: 1832-1833
#3: 1834-1845
#4: 1845-1851
Complete Record
(Includes Petitions, Dates, Plaintiffs, Defendants, Attorneys, Summons, Journal Entries, Petitions, Sheriff Returns, Cases, Decisions)
#1: 1888-1889 #11: 1897-1897 #21: 1904-1906
#2: 1889-1890 #12: 1897-1898 #22: 1906-1907
#3: 1890-1891 #13: 1898-1898 #23: 1907-1909
#4: 1891-1892 #14: 1898-1899 #24: 1908-1910
#5: 1892-1892 #15: 1899-1900 #25: 1919-1912
#6: 1892-1894 #16: 1900-1900
#7: 1894-1894 #17: 1900-1901
#8: 1894-1895 #18: 1901-1902
#9: 1895-1896 #19: 1902-1903
#10: 1896-1897 #20: 1903-1904
Criminal Appearance Docket
(Includes Plaintiffs, Defendants, Indictments, Dates and Costs)
#3: 1911-1920
Criminal Appearance and Execution Docket
(Includes Plaintiffs, Defendants, Attorneys, Itemized Costs, Pleadings Files, Findings, Judgements, Decrees and Sheriff Returns)
#4: 1920-1924 #8: 1938-1947 #12: 1968-1973
#5: 1924-1928 #9: 1945-1953 #13: 1973-1976
#6: 1929-1932 #10: 1952-1960 #14: 1976-1977
#7: 1932-1938 #11: 1960-1968 #15: 1977-1979
Criminal Execution Docket
(Includes Clerk Fees, Sheriff Fees, Stenographer Fees, Witness Fees, Mayor Fees, Justice Fees, Constables Fees, Marshal Fees and Indictment(s)
#1: 1882-1901 #2: 1901-1911 #3: 1911-1920
Criminal Record
(Includes Criminal Transcripts, Certificates, Indictments, Plaintiffs, Defendants, Execution for Costs, Sheriff Returns)
#1: 1881-1884 #6: 1919-1932 #11: 1957-1958
#2: 1884-1893 #7: 1932-1944 #12: 1959-1959
#3: 1893-1903 #8: 1944-1954
#4: Missing #9: 1953-1956
#5: 1914-1919 #10: 1956-1957
Execution Docket
(Includes Attorneys, Parties, Actions, Term, Dates, Fees and Receipts)
#1: 1844-1848 #16: 1877-1878 #31: 1894-1895
#2: 1848-1852 #17: 1878-1879 #32: 1895-1896
#3: 1825-1844 #18: 1879-1880 #33: 1896-1898
#4: 1851-1855 #19: 1880-1882 #34: 1898-1899
#5: 1855-1857 #20: 1882-1884 #35: 1899-1902
#6: 1857-1859 #21: 1883-1885 #36: 1902-1904
#7: 1894-1894 #22: 1884-1885 #37: 1904-1906
#8: 1860-1862 #23: 1884-1885 #38: 1906-1908
#9: 1862-1866 #24: 1885-1886 #39: 1908-1910
#10: 1866-1869 #25: 1886-1887 #40: 1910-1912
#11: 1869-1870 #26: 1887-1888 #41: 1912-1914
#12: 1870-1872 #27: 1888-1889 #42: 1914-1916
#13: 1872-1874 #28: 1889-1892 #43: 1916-1917
#14: 1874-1876 #29: 1891-1892
#15: 1876-1877 #30: 1892-1894
Chancery Record
(Divorce, Land Disputes and Intestate (Without a Will))
#1: 1847-1867
Law and Chancery Record
(Includes Journal Entries, Dates, Affidavits, Plaintiffs, Defendants, Case Details and Case Decisions)
#3: 1868-1883
Index to Pending Suits, Living Judgements and Executions
#1: No Date #6: 1912-1919 #11: 1942-1951
#2: No Date #7: 1919-1923 #12: 1951-1961
#3: 1887-1893 #8: 1923-1929
#4: 1895-1902 #9: 1929-1935
#5: 1902-1912 #10: 1935-1942
Index to Pending Suit Judgements
A-Z: 1978-1983
A-Z: 1978-1986
A-Z: 1978-1989
A-Z: 1990-1991
Common Pleas Journals
(Includes Names of Plaintiffs, Defendants, Attorneys, Judges, Dates, Bond Amount, Case Details, Case Decision)
#9: 1835-1838 #36: 1891-1893 #63: 1940-1942
#10: 1838-1841 #37: 1893-1895 #64: 1941-1944
#11: 1841-1843 #38: 1895-1896 #65: 1944-1947
#12: 1843-1846 #39: 1897-1898 #66: 1947-1949
#13: 1846-1848 #40: 1898-1901 #67: 1949-1950
#14: 1848-1850 #41: 1901-1903 #68: 1950-1952
#15: 1850-1851 #42: 1903-1905 #69: 1952-1953
#16: 1851-1855 #43: 1905-1907 #70: 1953-1955
#17: 1854-1856 #44: 1907-1909 #71: 1955-1956
#18: 1856-1858 #45: 1910-1911 #72: 1956-1958
#19: 1858-1860 #46: 1912-1914 #73: 1958-1958
#20: 1860-1862 #47: 1914-1916 #74: 1958-1959
#21: 1862-1865 #48: 1916-1917 #75: 1959-1960
#22: 1865-1868 #49: 1917-1919
#23: 1868-1870 #50: 1919-1921
#24: 1870-1873 #51: 1921-1923
#25: 1873-1875 #52: 1923-1925
#26: 1875-1877 #53: 1925-1926
#27: 1877-1878 #54: 1926-1928
#28: 1878-1879 #55: 1928-1930
#29: 1880-1882 #56: 1930-1931
#30: 1882-1883 #57: 1931-1933
#31: 1884-1885 #58: 1933-1934
#32: 1885-1887 #59: 1934-1936
#33: 1887-1888 #60: 1936-1937
#34: 1889-1890 #61: 1937-1939
#35: 1890-1891 #62: 1939-1940
Common Pleas Record
(Includes Name of Plaintiffs, Defendants, Attorneys, Judges, Dates, Cases, Bond Amounts, Case Details, Case Decisions, Detailed Descriptions of Allegations from both Plaintiffs and Defendants and Decisions and Settlements Decided by the Court)
#1: 1808-1814 #37: 1921-1923 Vols 49-88: 1932-1959
#26: 1912-1913 #38: 1924-1924
#27: 1913-1914 #39: 1924-1925
#28: 1914-1915 #40: 1925-1926
#29: 1915-1916 #41: 1926-1926
#30: 1915-1917 #42: 1926-1927
#31: 1913-1917 #43: 1927-1927
#32: 1917-1918 #44: 1928-1928
#33: 1918-1919 #45: 1928-1930
#34: 1919-1920 #46: 1929-1931
#35: 1919-1921 #47: 1930-1931
#36: 1921-1922 #48: 1931-1932