ERIE COUNTY PUBLIC RECORDS

What are Erie County Public Records?

Erie county public records are documents that contain information about the activities of public officials carrying out official duties. Records like, criminal records, civil court records, vital records, and all other records kept by any public official are regarded as public records.

Sequel to the law concerning such records, all residents of the county have unlimited access to the records. However, there are some exemptions that deny residents access to some records. Some exemptions may be based on a court order that sealed the record. Other exemptions may be based on the statutory limitations which state that the following records are not public records:

• Medical records
• Probation and parole records
• Adoption records
• Records of an ongoing investigation
• Records of an ongoing trial
• Juvenile records
• Intellectual property records
• Donor profile records
• Personal information of a public worker
• Records of persons under 18
• Records that are prohibited by state or federal law
• Protected health information etc.

In addition to government agencies, some public records may also be accessible from third-party websites. These non-government platforms come with intuitive tools that allow for expansive searches. Record seekers may either opt to use these tools to search for a specific record or multiple records. However, users will need to provide enough information to assist with the search, such as:

• The name of the subject involved in the record (subject must be older than 18 or not juvenile)
• The address of the requestor
• A case number or file number (if known)
• The location of the document or person involved
• The last known or current address of the registrant

Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.

Erie County Crime Statistics

The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services is the statewide agency that provides annual crime statistics in all counties of the state. Erie County crime statistics for 2017 show a total number of 1,868 crimes reported, including 88 violent crimes and 1,780 property crimes. Violent crimes reported include 2 murders, 15 rapes, 38 robberies, and 33 aggravated assaults. Property crimes reported include 284 burglaries, 1,451 larcenies, 45 motor vehicle thefts, and 2 arsons.

These numbers when compared with the 2012 crime statistics, show a considerable decline in total crimes reported over a 5-year period. There was a decline in 5 out of 8 major crimes. Murder, aggravated assaults, burglary, larceny, and arson rates decreased by 60%, 60%, 47%, 12%, and 75% respectively. While rape, robbery, and motor vehicle theft rates increased by 25%, 23%, and 5% respectively.

Are Erie County Criminal Records Public?

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) administers the Computerized Criminal History Records service on behalf of the state. It allows individuals to order criminal history record checks online, through livescan, or card scan.

To request a criminal history record check through card scan, submit a complete set of the fingerprints of the person whose records are requested. The request must be attached with the signed consent of the person (whether personal request or for employment purposes). The requester must also present a valid photo ID.

The BCI charges $22 for each criminal history record check. Acceptable payment options are credit/debit cards, business checks, or money order, payable to the "Treasurer of the State of Ohio". The request should be submitted to any of these BCI locations:

BCI Main Office
1560 State Route 56 SW
London, OH 43140

BCI Richfield Office
4055 Highlander Parkway
Richfield, OH 44286

BCI Bowling Green Office
750 North College Drive
Bowling Green, OH 43402

BCI Youngstown Office
20 W. Federal Street
Youngstown, OH 44503

BCI Athens Office
86 Columbus Circle, Suite 202
Athens, OH 45701
Phone: (740) 249-4378

BCI Cambridge Office
1225 Woodlawn Avenue
Cambridge, OH 43725

BCI Springfield Office
130 N. Fountain Avenue
Springfield, OH 45502
Phone: (740) 845-2000

How to Obtain Erie County Police Reports and Arrest Records?

Requesters who wish to obtain police reports or arrest records in Erie county can do so via the office of the recorder. An online request can also be made via the office of the sheriff. Alternatively, the requester may send a mail or make a personal visit to any of the offices. Moreso, there are nine police departments in the county including the sheriff’s department. It is possible to either mail any of the police departments or visit any of the offices to obtain copies of police reports or arrest records.

Erie County Sheriff's Department
2800 Columbus Avenue
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627-7668

Erie County Recorder’s Office
247 Columbus Avenue
Suite 225
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627- 7686 Toll-Free: (888) 399-6065
Email: Recorder@eriecounty.oh.gov

Bellevue Police Station
3000 Seneca Industrial Parkway West
Bellevue, OH 44811
Phone: (419) 483-4444

Berlin Heights Police Department
8 West Main Street
Berlin Heights, OH 44814
Phone: (419) 588-2055

Huron City Police Department
413 Main Street
Huron, OH 44839
Phone: (419) 433-5568

Perkins Twp Police Department
5420 Milan Road
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627-0824

Castalia Village Police Department
126 Main Street
Castalia, OH 44824
Phone: (419) 684-5644

Vermilion Police Department
5791 Liberty Avenue
Vermilion, OH 44089
Phone: (440) 967-6116

Bay View Village Police Department
2321 Martins Point Road
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 684-5990

Milan Police Department
11 South Main Street
Milan, OH 44846
Phone: (419) 499-2001

How to Find Sex Offender Information in Erie County.

Erie County Sheriff’s Office maintains the sex offender registry of the county. This database also has a free email notification system that automatically notifies any individual who uses it when a sex offender's address is in the individual’s county and within one mile of the individual’s address.

Sex offenders are graded on a tier system according to the gravity of the sexual offense. Sex offenders under the tier 1 category must register once a year for the next 15 years. Tier 2 offenders must register every 6months or 180 days for the next 25 years. Sex offenders under tier 3 must register every 90 days until death.

This system of reporting also mandates sex offenders to disclose all information, including personal information, registered vehicles, professional licenses, passports, visas, email addresses, and social media accounts.

How to Find Erie County Inmate Records

There are two jails in Erie county; a juvenile detention center and a county jail for adult offenders. To find inmate records in Erie county, an interested person can visit or send a mail to the sheriff's office of the sheriff. Alternatively, such a requester can send a mail or visit the Erie county jail at the address below:

Erie County Jail
2800 Columbus Avenue
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627-7569

Inmate records typically contain the name of the offender, the offense committed, the type of sentencing, date of sentencing, type of inmate, the classification of custody, rewards for good behavior, or demerit for bad conduct while serving time. The information is documented and kept by Erie county jails. As far as the Ohio open records law is concerned, inmate records are public records. The records are meant to be available upon request and can only be found with the agency responsible for maintaining the records. Unfortunately, inmate records of juveniles, that are offenders who are less than 18, are restricted by the statute of limitation of public records.

Court Records

Court records are the documentation of dockets, cases, filings, appeals, rulings, etc. that took

place in the law court. In Erie County, Ohio, the documentation of all legal activities happening inside and outside the courtroom as it relates to matters brought before the judge is done by the clerk of court.

Erie Common Pleas Court
323 Columbus Avenue
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627-7731
Fax: (419) 627-6602

Erie County Court
150 West Mason Road
Milan, OH 44846
Phone: (419) 499-4689
Fax: (419) 499-3300

Huron Municipal Court
417 Main Street
Huron, OH 44839
Phone: (419) 433-5430
Fax: (419) 433-5120

Kelleys Island Mayor's Court
121 Addison Road
Kelleys Island, OH 43438
Phone: (419) 746-2897

Milan Mayor's Court
11 South Main Street
Milan, OH 44846
Phone: (419) 499-2631
Fax: (419) 499-0304

Sandusky Municipal Court
222 Meigs Street
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627-5920
Fax: (419) 627-5950

Vermilion Municipal Court
687 Decatur Street
Vermilion, OH 44089
Phone: (440) 967-6543
Fax: (440) 967-1467

Are Erie County Court Records Public?

Erie County Court records are public records according to the Ohio code. This means that anyone can request the records at any time and such requests must be granted. However, the statute of limitations on public records and court orders will make it impossible for a person to view some court records. Nonetheless, any interested person can send a mail or visit the office of the clerks of court, or any of the courts in Erie county for access to any record of interest. As long as such record is not restricted by:

• Statute of limitation
• Court order
• Sealing of such document

It is also possible to access Erie county court records online through the office of the clerks of court. An interested person will have to go through an internet captcha to get the web form to fill the form according to the type of record of interest.

How to Obtain Erie County Civil Court Case Records

Civil records are also public records in Erie County, Ohio. As long as the case record is not restricted by the law or by the court, any county resident has a right to request a copy. Civil court records of Erie county can be obtained at two levels: It can be obtained at the local level, offline or online. The records can also be obtained at the state level, offline or online as well.

To obtain a civil court case record online at the local level, a requester can go through the online portal of the clerk of courts. There is a web form to be filled in requesting a civil court case. To get the record offline, a requester can send a mail or visit the office of the clerks of court to make the request.

Another way of obtaining a civil court case record is via clerk of court at the state level. A requester can perform a case search here. Requesting a civil court case record will cost $1 for a certified copy, and $0.10 for an uncertified copy. If a requester has been denied a request to view a record, such a person can file for a public record denial complaint which costs $25 for the filing fee. Note that the fact that a requester is checking at the state level does not mean that the process of obtaining the records will be slower. However, the volume of requests made will determine the time frame for response.

How to Obtain Erie County Criminal Court Records

Unlike the criminal record that can be obtained from the office of the sheriff, criminal court records contain information concerning the court proceedings of a criminal case in the trial court. A court criminal record begins when the trial of the case begins. These records can be public and can be restricted as well depending on whether the record is sealed or not, or whether there is a court order restricting the access to such records or not. Accessibility of some criminal court records also depends on the statutory limitation of the records. For records that are not restricted, a requester can either visit the office of the clerks of court or request such a record online. Alternatively, a requester can visit the court where the trial was held.

It is possible to perform a state search of these records. The office of the attorney general of Ohio state maintains a repository of criminal court records.

What are Erie County Vital Records?

Vital records in Erie county mostly contain information about a person’s life. Vital records include:

• Birth certificate
• Marriage certificates and licenses
• Divorce decrees
• Death certificates, wills

These records are often created by local authorities, although the state also maintains a central repository of this information. In Erie county Ohio, not all parts of vital records are considered public records, this is why most vital records are confidential and can only be viewed by the holder or persons related to the holder of the record. An interested person may not be granted access to some of the information contained in this record unless such a person gets a court order.

Where and How to Obtain Erie County Divorce Records.

Interested persons may be able to obtain copies of a divorce decree by submitting a request to the office of the recorder or the probate court. The Bureau of vital statistics does not issue certified copies of a divorce decree.

Where and How to Get Public Erie County Marriage Records.

In Erie County, Marriage records are public records, but they are not as easily accessible as other types of public records. The Bureau of Vital Statistics does not keep marriage records. Certified copies of marriage certificates are only available from the county where the event occurred. Marriage certificate copies are available from the county probate court. Each county probate court in Ohio has its own online contact and information pages.

The price of marriage certificates ranges between $2 and $5. The requestor can make an appointment by contacting the appropriate department via the court directories. Furthermore, interested parties can obtain marriage records by mailing a written request to the appropriate probate court.

The written request will include:

• Names of the parties to the marriage.
• The year of the wedding
• The year of the wedding
• A phone number, as well as a stamped, self-addressed envelope

The address of the probate court:

County Courthouse
323 Columbus Avenue
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 627-7525
Fax: (419) 626-9120

How to Obtain Confidential Marriage Records in Erie County

In Erie county, there is no such thing as a confidential marriage record. The county recognizes only one type of marriage, and all marriage records in Erie County are considered public records.

Where and How to Find Erie County Birth Records

Erie County birth records are public documents that are always available to the public. Records are available from December 1908 to the present. The Erie County Health Department handles birth records and can issue certified copies of most birth certificates for those born in Ohio. The cost of obtaining birth certificates ranges from $20 to $25 per certified copy, which can be paid for with cash, money order, credit card, or certified bank check.

Request for Birth Certificate must include the following information:

• Birth Name
• Date of Birth
• Mothers Maiden Name
• Fathers Name
• Current Address
• Current phone number

Erie County health department offices are open from Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. A requester can obtain the birth certificate within the specified timeline. Uncertified Certificates are no longer available. The Erie County health department no longer issues uncertified copies of vital records such as births. However, Only certified copies of these documents will be available for issuance. A requester can request a birth certificate by sending an affidavit of paternity or adoption file via mail to complete an application for certified copies. A walk-in requester can also obtain the birth certificate through the following address:

Erie County Health Department
ATTN: Vital Statistics
420 Superior Street
Sandusky, OH 44870
Phone: (419) 626-5623 ext. 5122
Email: vsdc@echdohio.org

Where and How to Find Erie County Death Records

Erie County death records are public documents that are always available to the general public. Records are available from December 1908 to the present. The Erie County Health Department handles death records and can issue certified copies of most death certificates for those born in Ohio. The cost of obtaining a death certificate ranges between $20 and $25 per certified copy, payable in cash, money order, credit card, or certified bank check.

Request for Death Certificate must include the following information:

• Name of deceased
• Date of Death
• Current Address
• Current phone number

Erie County health department offices are open from Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. A requester can obtain the death certificate within the specified timeline. Uncertified Certificates are no longer available. The Erie County health department no longer issues uncertified copies of vital records such as death. However, Only certified copies of these documents will be available for issuance. A requester can request a death certificate by sending an affidavit of paternity or adoption file via mail to complete an application for certified copies.