Putnam County Arrest, Court, and Public Records
Putnam County public records are documents made available to the public per the Ohio Public Records Law. The law authorizes an individual to inspect and obtain copies of public records from the designated record custodian’s office unless restricted by law or court order.
Such records that are sequestered from public access typically contain sensitive information that would otherwise compromise a person’s safety or privacy if released. A typical example is juvenile court records or documents containing information about minors. Apart from these documents containing sensitive information, a requestor may obtain copies of public records by visiting the record custodian’s office.
In addition to government agencies, county public records may also be obtained 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. Users are able to search third-party websites remotely for multiple records at a time with just the name of the record subject and their last known location, including the city, county, or state. Third-party sites are not sponsored by government agencies. Because of this, record availability and results may vary.
Putnam County Crime Statistics
Law enforcement reported 105 index crimes in Putnam county in 2019, according to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program (UCR). These index crimes included 15 violent crimes and 90 property crimes. Meanwhile, in the 2018 UCR report, law enforcement reported 85 index crimes, including 10 violent crimes and 75 property crimes.
A year-on-year analysis of the crime reports shows the crime in Putnam increased by 24%, with a 50% increase in violent crimes and a 20% increase in property crimes. However, comparing the 2019 crime report with the 2015 crime report shows that crime in Putnam county has only increased by 1.7% in five years.
Are Putnam County Criminal Records Public?
Copies of Putnam County criminal records are available to persons who have legitimate reasons to obtain criminal records. Typically, these are public and private employers who need these records for employment or licensing purposes.
Authorized persons may perform a name-based criminal history search by completing and mailing the request form to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI). Alternatively, visit the Sheriff’s Office during business hours to request a WebCheck, a name-based search for criminal records. Requests and additional inquiries should go to:
Civilian Identification Office
P.O. Box 365
London, OH 43140
Phone: (877) 224-0043
Fax: (866) 750-0214
How to Obtain Putnam County Police Reports and Arrest Records?
Copies of police reports and arrest records are available to the public at the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. Requesters must know the arrestee’s name and date of arrest to obtain copies of Putnam County arrest records. Likewise, providing the incident date and the names of the persons involved can help facilitate the search for arrest records. Requests and additional inquiries should go to:
Putnam County Sheriff’s Office
1035 Heritage Trail
Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3208
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Putnam County
Concerned residents may find information about registered sex offenders by searching the online sex offender registry. The registry allows searchers to use the names of known or suspected sex offenders, but it is also possible to use other search parameters like address and phone number. Generally, persons who search for sex offender information can expect to find the offender’s personal information, recent mugshot, offense details, and compliance status.
How to Find Putnam County Inmate Records
Information on persons serving time in the Putnam County Jail is available at the Sheriff’s Office. Interested requestors may schedule a visit to the Sheriff’s Office during business hours to obtain copies of inmate records.
Another way to obtain inmate records is to search the Ohio Department of Corrections Offender Search Database. The Database lets searchers find inmates by name and identification number. Either way, persons who obtain Putnam County inmate records can expect to see the inmate’s biodata, physical description, and offense summary.
Putnam County Court Records
The Putnam County court system comprises a common pleas court, which has general jurisdiction over criminal and civil cases. Meanwhile, the Municipal Court hears torts and traffic cases, while the Probate Court has jurisdiction over probate cases. The Putnam County Juvenile Court administers cases involving minors. These courts are located at:
245 East Main Street
Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Fax: (419) 523-5284
Are Putnam County Court Records Public?
Yes. Putnam County court records are public and available to interested members of the public unless a court order or statute restricts public access. Requestors may obtain copies of criminal and civil cases at the Clerk of Courts’ Office during business hours.
Putnam County Clerk of Courts’ Office
245 East Main Street
Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Fax: (419) 523-5284
How to Obtain Putnam County Civil Court Case Records
Obtaining copies of civil court records involves preparing a request letter stating the litigants’ names, case numbers, and filing dates associated with the records sought. Then, the requestor may submit this letter at the Clerk’s Office in person during business hours or mail the office.
Note that requests also attract administrative search fees and copying fees that a requestor must pay before the request is processed. It is best to contact the Clerk’s Office ahead for an estimate of the associated costs before visiting. Court copying fees are payable via cash, money order, and certified check. Address requests and inquiries to:
Putnam County Clerk of Courts’ Office
245 East Main Street
Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Fax: (419) 523-5284
How to Obtain Putnam County Criminal Court Records
Requestors who wish to obtain copies of criminal court records should prepare a request letter stating the litigants’ names, case numbers, and appropriate filing dates. Providing the name of the presiding judge can also help expedite the search but is unnecessary.
Next, the requestor should contact the Clerk’s Office to get an estimate of the associated copying costs and prepare a check or money order to that effect. Then, the requester may submit the letter in person at the Clerk’s Office during business hours. Mail-in requests are also acceptable. Address requests and inquiries to:
Putnam County Clerk of Courts’ Office
245 East Main Street
Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Fax: (419) 523-5284
What are Putnam County Vital Records?
Putnam County vital records are official documents containing information about a person’s life events, including birth, marriage, divorce, and death. While the Clerk’s Office is the designated custodian for marriage and divorce records, birth and death records are maintained by the Putnam County Health Department.
Generally, only the persons named on these documents and their kin may obtain certified copies of vital records. This involves submitting a written request letter or a standard request form and paying the applicable fees.
Putnam County divorce records certify the legal dissolution of a marriage. Copies of this vital record are available at the Clerk’s Office. Eligible requestors should submit a written request letter containing the divorcees’ names, divorce date, or case number to facilitate a record search. The Clerk will provide an estimate of the associated costs upon inquiry.
On the other hand, Putnam County marriage records certify the legal union of a couple under Ohio Family Law. Copies of this vital record are available at the Clerk’s Office. Eligible requestors should submit a written request letter containing the couple’s names, marriage date, or license number to facilitate a record search. The Clerk will provide an estimate of the associated costs upon inquiry.
Putnam County Clerk of Courts’ Office
245 East Main Street
Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-3110
Fax: (419) 523-5284
Meanwhile, Putnam County birth records contain information about an individual’s birth. Copies of this vital record are available at the Department of Health. Eligible requestors should complete and submit a vital record request form to obtain copies of a birth record. The Department charges $27.00 per copy, payable by check or money order.
Likewise, Putnam County death records are available at the Department of Health. This document contains information about an individual’s death. Eligible requestors should complete and submit the aforementioned vital record request form to obtain copies of a death record. The Department charges $27.00 per copy, payable by check or money order.
Putnam County Health Department
256 Williamstown Road
Ottawa, OH 45875
Phone: (419) 523-5608
