Ohio § 2303.12

§ 2303.12.

(A) As used in this section: (1) “ Case file ” means the compendium of original documents filed in a civil or criminal action or

proceeding in the court of common pleas, including the pleadings, motions, orders,

and judgments of the court on a case by case basis. (2) “ General docket ” means the appearance docket, trial docket, journal, execution docket, and case files

in relation to those dockets and journal. (B) The clerk of the court of common pleas shall keep records as indicated by the Rules

of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio.  They shall be called the appearance docket, trial docket and printed duplicates

of the trial docket for the use of the court and the officers thereof, journal, and

execution docket.  The clerk shall also keep a record in book form or the clerk may prepare a record

by using any photostatic, photographic, miniature photographic, film, microfilm, or

microphotographic process, electrostatic process, perforated tape, magnetic tape,

or other electromagnetic means, electronic data processing, machine readable media,

graphic or video display, or any combination thereof, which correctly and accurately

copies or reproduces every case file and other original document, paper, or instrument

in writing.  The clerk shall keep an index to the trial docket and to the printed duplicates

of the trial docket and of the journal direct, and to the appearance docket, record,

and execution docket, direct and reverse.  All clerks keeping records and information by the methods described in this section

shall keep and make readily available to the public the machine and equipment necessary

to reproduce the records and information in a readable form. (C) The clerk of the court of common pleas shall keep confidential information that is

subject to a real property confidentiality notice under section 111.431 of the Revised Code , in accordance with that section. (D)(1) Subject to division (D)(2) of this section, the clerk of court shall do both of the

following: (a) Not later than eighteen months after April 6, 2023, the clerk of court shall make

available online on the clerk of court's web site the general docket of the court

for remote access and printing by the public of the information in that docket, including

all individual documents in each case file, pertaining to civil cases filed on or

after April 6, 2023. (b) Not later than eighteen months after the effective date of this amendment, the clerk

of court shall make available online on the clerk of court's web site the general

docket of the court for remote access and printing by the public of the information

in that docket, including all individual documents in each case file, pertaining to

criminal cases filed on or after the effective date of this amendment. (2) The clerk of court is not required to make available online under division (D)(1)

of this section either of the following: (a) The general docket of the division of domestic relations or the juvenile court; (b) If the court does not have a division of domestic relations, the general docket in

civil cases pertaining to domestic relations. (E) Nothing in division (D) of this section shall be construed as making available online

any of the following: (1) Internal documents such as notes, emails, drafts, recommendations, advice, or research

of judicial officers and court staff; (2) Any document or any information in a case file the public access to which the court

has ordered restricted under the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio.