Arrest Records for Clermont County, Ohio

Clermont County keeps its criminal case records split across two separate clerk systems: felony and higher-level cases sit with Clermont County Common Pleas Clerk of Courts, managed by Allen M. Freeman, while misdemeanor and traffic cases belong to the Clermont County Municipal Clerk of Court, under Paul C. Kamphaus. Both offices maintain online case-access portals at Common Pleas Clerk of Courts Case Access and Municipal Clerk of Court Case Access. The Clermont County Courthouse is located in Batavia, with free parking across the street at 270 East Main Street. Clerk of Courts opens at 8:30 AM on weekdays; plan to arrive well before 4:00 PM, as doors have been known to lock before the posted 4:30 PM closing time.

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

Searching for records beyond Ohio

Clermont County shares borders with Hamilton, Warren, Brown, and Adams counties — and cases sometimes cross those lines. A nationwide search tool may help surface records from neighboring counties, cases filed in federal court that local portals never index, or records under name variants and prior names that Clermont’s own portals won’t catch.

Sponsored: Nationwide Criminal Background Check (we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you).

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 Clermont County

Keep in mind before you search: sealed or expunged records will not appear in any of the pathways below — if a record has been sealed under Ohio law, it is invisible to public searches. If you believe a record was sealed and want to understand that process, the expungement section below explains how it works.

Felony arrest and case records live at the Common Pleas Clerk of Courts Case Access portal. Search by name or case number. The General Division handles felony criminal matters; the portal also covers Domestic Relations and Appeals. Call the Clermont County Courthouse at (513) 732-7130 with questions about a specific case or to confirm what documents you need before visiting.

Misdemeanor and traffic cases — including criminal misdemeanor filings — are held by the Clermont County Municipal Clerk of Court. Use the Municipal Clerk of Court Case Access portal for name-based searches. The Municipal Clerk of Court Criminal Division page covers misdemeanor criminal filings specifically. Court costs and filing fees effective June 1, 2026 are published in the Municipal Traffic Costs and Filing Fees schedule — confirm the current records-request fee before submitting a written request, as fees can change.

Booking-side records — who was booked into the Clermont County Jail and when — are tracked by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office runs a live Clermont County Jail Inmate Search that shows current custody status. For records requests from the Sheriff’s Office, call (513) 732-7500. The Records Department accepts cash or money order in exact amounts; bring a valid driver’s license before background check reports can be processed.

State prison records — for anyone sentenced to an Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction facility rather than the county jail — are searchable through the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction offender search. That tool covers ODRC-managed facilities statewide, not the Clermont County Jail.

Union Township, one of Clermont County’s larger townships, maintains its own police records request process. Submit a public records request through the Union Township Police Department public records request form. The Union Township Police Department is open during weekday business hours only.

Are Clermont County arrest records public?

Court filings and booking records are public records in Ohio — sealed cases, juvenile records, and victim-protection redactions are the narrow exceptions. The controlling statute is ORC 149.43, the Ohio Public Records Act, which establishes a default-open framework: any person may request access to public records, and government agencies must respond promptly.

Arrest records generated by the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office and the various municipal police departments in Clermont County — including Union Township and Miami Township — are public under ORC 149.43. Booking photos are also public records under this statute, though individual agencies control how and whether they post them online. For the Sheriff’s Office mugshot release policy, call (513) 732-7500 directly, as that policy is not posted online.

Expunged records are a meaningful exception. When a Clermont County court grants an expungement petition under Ohio’s Senate Bill 288 framework, the record is permanently destroyed — it vanishes from public searches entirely. Sealed records (short of full expungement) are hidden from public view but not destroyed; law enforcement agencies can still access them. The practical effect for a records-checker: a name search that returns nothing does not necessarily mean no arrest ever occurred. It may mean a record was sealed or expunged. The expungement section below covers how that process works in Clermont County.

Juvenile records carry their own protection layer. Cases handled through Clermont County Juvenile Court are not public records under Ohio law. Adult records are public; juvenile adjudications are not.

Victim-identifying information — addresses, contact details, and certain case details in sensitive case types — may be redacted from otherwise-public records before release. The Clerk’s office handles those redactions on a case-by-case basis.

What’s in a Clermont County arrest record?

Clermont County’s court system processes cases through two distinct clerk offices, and each side of the system shows different data fields. An arrest record shows the charges filed against a person at booking — conviction status is a separate data point that appears later in the docket, once the case moves through the court.

On the court side, the Common Pleas Clerk of Courts Case Access portal at the Clermont County Courthouse displays: case number, filing date, party names, charge descriptions (statute and degree), scheduled hearing dates, docket entries showing each court event, attorney of record, and case disposition when one has been entered. Disposition entries — guilty plea, not guilty verdict, dismissal, nolle prosequi — appear as separate docket events and are not automatically visible on the same screen as the original charge.

The Municipal Clerk’s portal shows similar fields for misdemeanor cases: case number, charge, filing date, hearing schedule, and docket history. The Municipal Clerk of Court Criminal Division handles misdemeanor criminal filings, while the Traffic Division handles traffic-related charges separately.

On the booking side, the Sheriff’s Office jail roster typically shows: full name, booking date and time, charges at booking, and current custody status. Booking entries and court docket entries are maintained in separate systems. A charge listed at booking may differ from what the prosecutor ultimately files in court — the docket entry controls for legal purposes.

Mugshot availability varies by arresting agency. The Sheriff’s Office booking photos are public records under ORC 149.43, but online posting practices differ. Call the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office at (513) 732-7500 to ask about a specific booking photo.

One practical note about the Common Pleas Clerk’s office: visitors report that the office doors lock at 4:00 PM despite the posted 4:30 PM closing time. Plan your in-person visit to arrive well before 4:00 PM if you need to review physical case files or request certified copies.

How to expunge an arrest record in Clermont County

Petitioning to seal or expunge an arrest record in Clermont County is a routine legal procedure governed by ORC 2953.32, and many people pursue it without any particular difficulty. The statute distinguishes between sealing (which hides a record from public view) and expungement under Senate Bill 288 (which permanently destroys an eligible record).

Eligibility depends on the outcome of the case and the person’s record history. Cases that ended in dismissal, acquittal, or a finding of not guilty often qualify for sealing without a waiting period — these are sometimes called “non-conviction” records, and Ohio law provides a relatively direct path for them. A case dismissed by the prosecutor (nolle prosequi) or dismissed by the court after diversion completion also typically qualifies.

Conviction-based sealing involves a waiting period after the sentence is completed. Ohio law sets the timing requirements in ORC 2953.32; the exact waiting period depends on the offense level and the number of prior convictions. Check the current statute text or ask the Clerk of Court for the applicable window for a specific case type — the numbers are set by statute and can be amended by the legislature.

Certain offense categories are not eligible for sealing under ORC 2953.32 regardless of waiting period — including most violent felonies, sex offenses requiring registration, and offenses involving a minor victim. If a case type has no supplied sealing path under the statute, confirm eligibility with a licensed Ohio attorney before filing.

To file a petition in Clermont County, the case must have been handled in Clermont County courts. File the Petition to Seal at the court where the case was sentenced — the Clermont County Court of Common Pleas for felony cases, or the Clermont County Municipal Court for misdemeanor cases. The Municipal Clerk of Court court forms page lists available forms. Call the Clermont County Courthouse at (513) 732-7130 to ask about the current filing fee and whether an indigency waiver is available — fees apply at filing, and the court sets the amount.

After filing, the court schedules a hearing. The prosecutor’s office receives notice and may object. If no objection is filed and the court finds the petitioner eligible, the sealing order issues. Once sealed, the record disappears from public searches — the Common Pleas Case Access portal and the Municipal Clerk’s portal will no longer return it. Law enforcement agencies and courts retain access to sealed records for their own purposes.

You can file a sealing petition yourself without an attorney. The Ohio State Bar Association’s the state bar lawyer directory and the Ohio Public Defender’s county public defender locator can connect you with legal help if you want attorney-assisted filing. An attorney is particularly useful when the eligibility question is unclear or when the prosecutor is likely to object.

Quick reference: Clermont County records resources

Frequently asked questions about Clermont County arrest records

How do I visit the Clermont County Clerk’s office to review an arrest record in person?

The Clermont County Common Pleas Clerk of Courts is located at the Clermont County Courthouse in Batavia, Ohio. Weekday hours run from 8:30 AM, but plan to arrive well before 4:00 PM — the office doors have been reported to lock before the posted 4:30 PM closing time. Free parking is available across the street at 270 East Main Street. Call (513) 732-7130 ahead of your visit to confirm what documents you need and what payment methods are accepted for your specific request. For misdemeanor cases, the Municipal Clerk of Court is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

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

File a Petition to Seal at the court where the case was handled — the Common Pleas Court for felony cases, or the Municipal Court for misdemeanor cases. Ohio law governing this process is ORC 2953.32. Cases that ended in dismissal or acquittal often qualify without a waiting period. Conviction-based petitions require a waiting period set by statute; check the current ORC 2953.32 text or ask the Clerk of Court for the applicable timeframe for your case type. Call the Clermont County Courthouse at (513) 732-7130 to ask about the current filing fee and indigency waiver availability. Once a record is sealed, it no longer appears in public searches on either the Common Pleas or Municipal Clerk portals. If you want help with the petition, the Ohio State Bar Association Find a Lawyer directory and the Ohio Public Defender county locator can connect you with legal assistance.