Arrest Records for Delaware County, Ohio

When you need a Delaware County arrest record, the search runs through two distinct systems: the Delaware County Clerk of Courts, which holds court-side case filings at Clerkofcourts, and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, which maintains booking-side records. Felony cases filed in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas are searchable through that court’s own portal. The Clerk’s Public Records Policy governs what you can request and how. The Historic Delaware County Courthouse is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; parking is meter-only, so plan ahead.

If someone you know was just booked tonight, our Delaware County inmate-search page has phone-first contact info.

Searching for records beyond Ohio

A Delaware County court search covers only cases filed in this county’s portals — records from neighboring Franklin, Union, or Morrow counties, federal cases, or arrests predating the online docket window won’t appear there. A nationwide database search may surface records across multiple jurisdictions that local portals often leave out. The preliminary scan is free; a full report requires creating an account.

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This tool is not a consumer reporting agency under the FCRA and may not be used to screen anyone for employment, housing, credit, or any other purpose covered by that law.

How to look up arrest records in Delaware County

Bring a valid government-issued photo ID before you go anywhere in person — the Clerk’s office requires it for records requests, and the Sheriff’s Office needs it for any walk-in inquiry. If you’re requesting copies by mail, include a written description of the record you want, your contact information, and a check or money order for applicable fees; call the Clerk to confirm the current per-page fee before mailing, as it isn’t posted online.

Court-side records live at the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. Felony criminal cases are filed here, and the court’s online docket lets you search by name or case number at no charge. The Clerk’s office is inside the Historic Delaware County Courthouse, open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. To request the records-request form, contact the Delaware County Clerk of Courts directly — the form is available at the counter. The courthouse accepts cash, check, and credit/debit cards for payments. Security screening at the Common Pleas entrance moves quickly, but the metal detector line at the Clerk’s counter can build mid-morning; arriving near opening tends to be faster.

The Clerk’s Public Records Policy spells out exactly which records are available, which are restricted, and how copies are priced. Read it before your visit — it answers most procedural questions in advance. Clerk forms, including petition forms relevant to sealing, are available at Clerk Forms.

Booking-side records — the Sheriff’s arrest log, booking numbers, and jail intake data — come from the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office at 844 US 42 N. The office has wide lanes and ample parking. Call (614) 410-4400 to reach the Sheriff’s Office main line. Background check services at the Sheriff’s Office are walk-in only, available Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., and accept money order as payment. The Delaware County Jail can be reached at (740) 833-2810 (verify before calling) for booking-status questions.

State prison records — for anyone sentenced to an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction facility rather than the county jail — are searchable through the ODRC Offender Search. You can filter by name, county of commitment, or ODRC number. This tool covers incarcerated, released, and APA-supervision status but does not show county-jail-only records.

Dublin’s Mayor’s Court handles minor traffic and misdemeanor matters for that city’s residents. Those records are separate from Common Pleas filings; contact Dublin Mayor’s Court directly for cases originating there.

Are Delaware County arrest records public?

Arrest records in Delaware County are public by default — but a sealed or expunged record changes that picture entirely, which is why this section connects directly to the sealing process covered below.

Ohio’s open-records framework is set by ORC 149.43, the Ohio Public Records Act. Under ORC 149.43, arrest records, booking data, and court case filings are presumptively open to any member of the public. You don’t need to explain why you want a record or prove any relationship to the subject. The Clerk of Courts and the Sheriff’s Office must respond to public records requests within a reasonable time.

Sealed records are the primary exception. When a Delaware County court grants a petition to seal under ORC 2953.32, the record is hidden from public view — the Clerk’s online docket will not show it, and the Sheriff’s Office will not disclose it in response to a public inquiry. Law enforcement agencies retain access to sealed records; the public does not. Expunged records go further: under Senate Bill 288, eligible records can be permanently destroyed rather than merely hidden.

Juvenile records carry their own separate protection. Cases adjudicated in Delaware County Juvenile Court are not public records by default. Adult criminal records are public; juvenile adjudications are not, with narrow exceptions for serious offenses.

Victim-protection redactions apply in some cases. Certain identifying information — victim names in domestic violence cases, for example — may be redacted from otherwise-public documents. The Clerk’s Public Records Policy describes these redaction categories in detail.

What’s in a Delaware County arrest record?

A Delaware County arrest record draws from two separate systems, and the fields you see depend on which system you’re looking at.

The booking record — generated by the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office or a municipal police department at the time of arrest — typically contains: the subject’s full legal name, date of birth, booking date and time, booking number, arresting agency, charges as listed at intake, and physical descriptors. The booking number is the Sheriff’s internal identifier; it is distinct from the court case number assigned later. Mugshot release practices at the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office are not posted in a public policy document — call (614) 410-4400 to ask about the current release policy for a specific booking.

The court docket record — held at the Delaware County Courthouse and accessible through the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas — contains different fields: the case number, charges as formally filed by the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office, all docket entries (hearings, continuances, motions), bond information, attorney of record, and disposition if the case has concluded. A case that was dismissed, resulted in acquittal, or was no-billed by a grand jury will show a disposition entry — but the arrest booking record at the Sheriff’s Office may still exist independently.

The gap between these two systems matters. An arrest that never resulted in charges will appear in the Sheriff’s booking data but may have no corresponding court case at the Delaware County Courthouse. Conversely, a case transferred from a municipal court to Common Pleas may show docket entries that don’t align with the original booking record’s charge language. When you’re doing a thorough check, pull both the court docket and the Sheriff’s booking record separately.

For cases involving the Delaware County Domestic Relations Court or the Delaware County Juvenile Court, those courts maintain their own separate dockets. A felony domestic violence case would appear in Common Pleas; a related civil protection order would appear in Domestic Relations. Juvenile records, as noted above, are not public.

How to expunge an arrest record in Delaware County

Since Senate Bill 288 took effect, Ohio law distinguishes between sealing a record — which hides it from public view — and expungement, which permanently destroys it. Both paths run through ORC 2953.32, and both are filed at the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas, the sentencing court for felony matters.

Petitioning to seal or expunge an arrest record in Delaware County is a routine legal procedure. Many people pursue it after a dismissal, an acquittal, or after completing a sentence and satisfying a waiting period. It is not unusual, and the court processes these petitions regularly.

Non-convictions — dismissals and acquittals. Cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal often qualify for sealing without a waiting period under ORC 2953.32. If charges were dropped, no-billed, or resulted in a not-guilty verdict, you may be able to file a petition promptly. The Clerk’s forms library at Clerk Forms is the place to request the Petition to Seal form. The Delaware County Public Defender’s Office can advise on eligibility at no cost if you qualify for their services.

Convictions. A waiting period applies after a conviction before you can petition under ORC 2953.32. The exact duration depends on the offense level and other factors set in the statute. OH law sets the timing requirements in ORC 2953.32; check the current statute text or ask the Clerk of Court for the applicable window in your specific case. The number of prior convictions and the nature of the offense also affect eligibility — some offense categories are excluded entirely.

Filing the petition. File the completed Petition to Seal at the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. A filing fee applies; if you cannot afford it, ask the Clerk about an indigency waiver at the time of filing. The court will schedule a hearing, and the Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office has the opportunity to object. If no objection is filed and the court finds you eligible, the order to seal is entered.

What sealing does and does not do. After sealing, the public record disappears from the Common Pleas docket and from the Sheriff’s public-facing records. Law enforcement agencies — including the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol — retain access. The record may also remain visible to certain licensing boards depending on the profession. A sealed record is not the same as a record that never existed.

Federal arrest records are separate. A Delaware County court order sealing a state arrest record has no effect on any federal arrest record. Federal arrests are processed through the federal court system, and a separate federal petition — filed in federal court under federal procedure — is required to address those records. ORC 2953.32 governs only Ohio state records.

Attorney-assisted petitions tend to move more smoothly, particularly for convictions where eligibility is contested. The Ohio State Bar Association lawyer search and the Ohio Public Defender county locator are both useful if you want professional guidance before filing.

Frequently asked questions about Delaware County arrest records

How do I confirm what’s on my Delaware County arrest record and get a copy?

Pull from both systems. Search the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas docket by your name to see any court-side case filings — this is free and available online. For the booking record, contact the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office at (614) 410-4400 or visit 844 US 42 N during walk-in hours. Bring a valid photo ID. To get certified copies from the Clerk, request the records-request form at the Clerk’s counter inside the Historic Delaware County Courthouse (open Mon–Fri 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) and ask about the current copy fee. If you’ve lived in other states or had federal involvement, a nationwide database search may surface records that Delaware County portals won’t show.

How do I get a Delaware County arrest record sealed or expunged?

File a Petition to Seal at the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas under ORC 2953.32. Dismissals and acquittals often qualify without a waiting period. Convictions require satisfying a waiting period set by the statute — the exact duration depends on the offense level; check ORC 2953.32 or ask the Clerk of Court for the applicable window. Download the petition form from Clerk Forms, file it at the courthouse, and pay the filing fee (or request an indigency waiver). The Delaware County Prosecutor’s Office may object; the court schedules a hearing and issues an order if you qualify. After sealing, the public record disappears — but law enforcement retains access, and federal records require a separate federal petition.