Arrest Records for Hocking County, Ohio

Felony case filings in Hocking County live with the Hocking County Clerk of Courts, whose online case search runs at Hocking County Common Pleas case search. Misdemeanor and traffic cases handled by the Hocking County Municipal Court appear in a separate docket at Hocking County Municipal Court case lists. The Hocking County Courthouse sits at 1 East Main Street, Logan, Ohio, with general hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekdays — though the Clerk’s offices inside do not open until 8:30 a.m., so plan accordingly. Incident reports and Sheriff-side records are handled separately through the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office; their public records request process is described at Hocking County Sheriff’s Office Public Records Request.

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

Searching for records beyond Ohio

A Hocking County case search only reaches records filed in this county’s courts. If the person you’re researching has lived in other Ohio counties or other states, those records won’t appear in the local portal. A nationwide third-party database search may help surface records from other jurisdictions — including cases filed before hocking.oh.gov’s online window, federal matters that county portals never index, or records under name variants and prior names.

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How to look up arrest records in Hocking County

Online, in person, or by mail — Hocking County supports all three request pathways, and which one works best depends on what you need.

Online case search (court docket). The Hocking County Common Pleas case search at Cpsearch is the county’s own portal for felony criminal cases. Search by name or case number to pull up docket entries, charge descriptions, and hearing dates. For misdemeanor and traffic matters handled by the Municipal Court in Nelsonville, use the Hocking County Municipal Court case lists instead. The Municipal Court is located at 16677 Riverside Dr., Nelsonville, OH 45764. Neither portal shows sealed or expunged records.

Sheriff’s Office records request. Incident reports, booking records, and law-enforcement-generated documents are held by the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office. Public records requests — including incident reports — are processed under Ohio Revised Code. No appointment is needed for walk-in requests at the Sheriff’s Office window; the window accepts cash or checks. Call (740) 385-2131 to confirm current processing times before visiting. The Sheriff’s Office public records request form is available at Hocking County Sheriff’s Office Public Records Request.

Clerk of Courts records request. For certified copies of court filings, sentencing entries, or case documents, contact the Hocking County Clerk of Courts directly. The Clerk’s office is inside the Hocking County Courthouse at 1 East Main Street, Logan. Courthouse hours run 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. weekdays, but note that document copying services in the Recorder’s research room may close before the official 4:00 p.m. cutoff — visit earlier in the day if you need copies. Court fees are listed at Hocking County Clerk of Courts — Court Fees; call to confirm the current per-page copy fee before submitting a mail request. The courthouse parking lot fills quickly, so arrive early. The main entrance faces Main Street; the accessible entrance may require ringing a bell for staff to open.

ODRC lookup (state prison records). If the person served time in an Ohio state prison rather than the Hocking County Jail, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction Offender Search is the right tool. You can filter results by “County of Commitment” and select Hocking to narrow the search. This database covers ODRC-supervised individuals — incarcerated, released, or on APA supervision — but does not include county jail inmates.

Judge docket schedules. The Hocking County Common Pleas Judge Docket publishes weekly PDF schedules of upcoming court proceedings. These are scheduling documents, not arrest logs, but they can confirm that a case is active and identify the assigned judge. Weekly schedules are posted on hocking.oh.gov.

Are Hocking County arrest records public?

When a record exists and hasn’t been sealed, it’s open to the public under Ohio law — but the line between what’s accessible and what’s protected is worth understanding before you search.

Ohio’s open-records framework is governed by ORC 149.43, the Ohio Public Records Act. Under that statute, arrest records, court dockets, and booking information held by Hocking County agencies are presumptively public. Any person can request them without stating a reason. The Hocking County Sheriff’s Office processes these requests under ORC 149.43, and the Clerk of Courts maintains court records as public documents by default.

Sealed and expunged records are the primary exception. Ohio law (ORC 2953.32) allows eligible individuals to petition the Court of Common Pleas to seal a record from public view. Once sealed, the record disappears from the public-facing Hocking County Common Pleas case search and from Sheriff’s Office public responses. Law enforcement agencies retain access, but a member of the public — or a standard background check — will not see it. Since Senate Bill 288, Ohio also allows permanent destruction (expungement) of eligible records, which goes further than sealing.

Juvenile records carry their own protections. Cases handled by the Hocking County Juvenile and Probate Courts are generally not public. Adult records are public; juvenile adjudications are not treated as criminal convictions and are shielded from routine public access.

Victim-protection redactions apply in certain cases. Names and identifying information for crime victims — particularly in domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases — may be redacted from publicly released documents even when the underlying record is otherwise accessible. The Hocking County Prosecutor’s Office maintains a Victim Services program that can explain what information is protected in a specific case.

Booking photos (mugshots) are generally public records under ORC 149.43 in Ohio. For Hocking County’s current policy on releasing booking photos, contact the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office directly — call (740) 385-2131 to ask about their current practice before making a formal request.

What’s in a Hocking County arrest record?

What does the actual document look like — and does it matter whether you’re pulling from the court system or the Sheriff’s side?

It matters considerably. Hocking County maintains two distinct record systems, and they contain different fields. The court docket — accessible through the Hocking County Common Pleas case search — is a digital record of everything that happened after charges were filed. A typical docket entry shows the case number, the defendant’s name, the charge or charges (with Ohio Revised Code citations), the filing date, the assigned judge, upcoming hearing dates, and the disposition once the case closes. Attorney of record appears once counsel has entered an appearance. The Hocking County Courthouse docket is updated as events occur, though there can be a lag between a court event and when it appears online.

The Sheriff-side booking record is a separate document generated at the time of arrest. It typically includes the booking date and time, the arresting agency, the charges as listed at booking (which may differ from what the prosecutor ultimately files), physical descriptors, and — depending on release policy — a booking photo. The Hocking County Sheriff’s Office holds these records. Request them through the Sheriff’s public records process at Hocking County Sheriff’s Office Public Records Request. Booking records are paper-originated documents that may not appear in the online case search at all.

A practical consequence: if you search the Common Pleas portal and find nothing, it doesn’t necessarily mean no arrest occurred. It may mean charges were never filed, the case was filed in Municipal Court instead, or the booking record exists only on the Sheriff’s side. Run both searches — the court portal and a Sheriff’s records request — to get a complete picture.

For state prison history, the ODRC Offender Search adds a third layer: ODRC records show commitment county, offense, sentence length, and current status, but they reflect the prison system’s data rather than the original Hocking County court file. Cross-referencing all three sources gives the most complete view of a person’s record in this county.

Audio recordings of Common Pleas proceedings are available by separate request. The Hocking County Common Pleas Court provides a USB flash drive request form for case audio — download it from the Hocking County Common Pleas Forms page.

How to expunge an arrest record in Hocking County

“Expungement (Destruction of Records)” is the statutory label Ohio uses — and the process under ORC 2953.32 is more accessible than many people realize.

Ohio distinguishes between sealing a record (hiding it from public view while it remains in the system) and expungement (permanent destruction under Senate Bill 288). Both are governed by ORC 2953.32 and both are filed at the Hocking County Court of Common Pleas, 1 East Main Street, Logan, Ohio. The practical effect for most people is the same: after a successful petition, the record disappears from the public-facing Hocking County Common Pleas case search and from public responses to records requests.

Dismissed and acquitted cases. If the case was dismissed or you were found not guilty, Ohio law provides a streamlined path. Non-conviction records can often be sealed without a waiting period. File a Petition to Seal at the Hocking County Clerk of Courts, pay the applicable filing fee (confirm the current amount at Hocking County Clerk of Courts — Court Fees), and the court will schedule a hearing. The prosecutor has the opportunity to object, but objections to sealing non-conviction records are less common.

Conviction cases. A waiting period applies after a conviction before you can petition under ORC 2953.32. Ohio law sets the timing requirements in ORC 2953.32; check the current statute text or ask the Clerk of Court for the specific waiting period that applies to your offense level, as the periods differ by misdemeanor and felony classification. You must also have no pending criminal proceedings and meet the eligibility criteria in the statute. Certain offense categories — including most violent felonies and sex offenses — are ineligible regardless of waiting period.

Filing the petition. The Hocking County Common Pleas Forms page is the place to look for current court forms. You’ll file the petition with the Clerk of Courts, pay the filing fee, and serve notice on the prosecutor’s office. The court sets a hearing date. If no objection is filed and the judge finds you eligible, the order to seal or expunge issues. After the order, the Clerk notifies relevant agencies to update their records.

Self-petition vs. attorney-assisted. Ohio allows self-represented petitions. The Hocking County Common Pleas clerk’s staff can tell you which forms to use, though they cannot give legal advice. For cases involving prior convictions, multiple charges, or any uncertainty about eligibility, an attorney familiar with ORC 2953.32 can assess your situation accurately. The Ohio State Bar Association lawyer search and the Ohio Public Defender county locator are both useful starting points.

What remains accessible after sealing. Law enforcement agencies — including the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office and prosecutors — retain access to sealed records. The record does not disappear from their systems. It disappears from public view: the online case search, public records requests, and most background check databases will not show it. If you are later charged with another offense, a sealed prior record can still be considered by the court.

Confirm numbers and hours before visiting or calling the Clerk’s office to file.

Quick-contacts for Hocking County arrest records

Frequently asked questions about Hocking County arrest records

How do I find out what arrest records exist for a specific name in Hocking County?

Run the name through the Hocking County Common Pleas case search for felony cases and the Hocking County Municipal Court case lists for misdemeanor and traffic matters. Those two portals cover court-filed cases. For arrest records that may not have resulted in filed charges — or for incident reports — submit a public records request to the Hocking County Sheriff’s Office. If the person has Ohio state prison history, the ODRC Offender Search adds a third source. Sealed records will not appear in any of these public searches.

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

File a Petition to Seal at the Hocking County Court of Common Pleas, 1 East Main Street, Logan, under ORC 2953.32. For dismissed or acquitted cases, no waiting period typically applies. For conviction cases, a waiting period applies — check the current statute text or ask the Clerk of Court for the specific period that applies to your offense level. Confirm the current filing fee at Hocking County Clerk of Courts — Court Fees. The court schedules a hearing; if the judge grants the petition, the record is removed from public view. Law enforcement retains access. If you’re unsure about eligibility, the Ohio State Bar Association lawyer search can connect you with an attorney familiar with ORC 2953.32.