Fairfield County Traffic Ticket Records
Fairfield County traffic ticket records are kept at the courthouse in Lancaster, the county seat. Two courts handle traffic cases here. The Municipal Court at 136 West Main Street deals with most traffic tickets directly. The Court of Common Pleas at 224 East Main Street handles more serious matters like felony traffic charges. The county offers multiple case search tools online, including a dedicated Traffic Case Search through the Municipal Court. Copy fees are low at $0.05 per page for standard copies and $5.00 for certified copies. Lancaster is about 30 miles southeast of Columbus, and the Fairfield County courts serve the entire county including Pickerington and Baltimore.
Fairfield County Overview
Fairfield County Municipal Court
The Municipal Court handles the bulk of traffic cases in Fairfield County. This is where your ticket goes if you get pulled over in Lancaster, Pickerington, Baltimore, or anywhere else in the county. The court sits at 136 West Main Street in Lancaster.
The court has jurisdiction over traffic violations, misdemeanors, civil cases up to $15,000, and small claims up to $6,000. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 1901.20, municipal courts hear all traffic violations that happen within their territory. Court hours run Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Online case search and ticket payment are available through the court website.
| Court | Fairfield County Municipal Court |
|---|---|
| Address | 136 West Main Street Lancaster, OH 43130 |
| Phone | (740) 687-6621 |
| Hours | Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM |
The Municipal Court offers a dedicated Traffic Case Search tool. This lets you look up your ticket specifically in the traffic case database without sorting through other case types. The court also has separate search tools for civil cases, criminal cases, and probate cases. Each one covers its own category of records.
Court of Common Pleas
The Court of Common Pleas is at 224 East Main Street in Lancaster, inside the Hall of Justice. Call (740) 652-7421 to reach the office. This court handles felony cases, which includes certain serious traffic offenses like aggravated vehicular homicide or repeat OVI charges that get elevated to felony level.
Most people with a basic traffic ticket will not deal with the Common Pleas Court. Your case stays at the Municipal Court level unless the charge is a felony. But if it does get bumped up, the Common Pleas Court clerk takes over the file. The same building houses the Juvenile Division on the third floor at (740) 652-7463 and the Probate Division at (740) 652-7485.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 4510.036, six-point violations include aggravated vehicular homicide, fleeing law enforcement, and operating a vehicle under a 12-point suspension. These are the kinds of cases that end up at the Common Pleas level in Fairfield County.
Search Fairfield County Records
Fairfield County has several online tools for looking up court records. The Municipal Court website offers four separate search tools. You can search by case type:
- Municipal Court Traffic Case Search
- Municipal Court Criminal Case Search
- Municipal Court Civil Case Search
- Court of Common Pleas Case Inquiry
- Probate Court Case Inquiry
The Traffic Case Search is the one you want for ticket records. Enter a name or case number to pull up the details. The system shows case status, charges, and basic docket info. For full copies of documents, you still need to contact the clerk.
The Fairfield County Clerk of Courts website also has a search tool for court records.
This portal provides name-based searches across Fairfield County courts.
Under Ohio Revised Code Section 149.43, court records are public with some exceptions. Anyone can request copies. You don't have to be the person named on the ticket. The clerk charges $0.05 per page for plain photocopies. Certified copies cost $5.00 each. Authenticated copies are $6.00.
The Ohio BMV website is another useful resource. You can check your own driving record to see what convictions are listed. Visit bmv.ohio.gov for details on pulling your record and understanding what points you have.
The Ohio BMV tracks all traffic convictions and points across the state, including those from Fairfield County courts.
Fairfield County Court Fees
Fairfield County charges standard fees for copies of court records. These fees apply to all case types, including traffic. Here is what you can expect to pay when you request records from the clerk.
Standard photocopies are $0.05 per page. That is one of the lowest rates in Ohio. A certified copy costs $5.00. An authenticated copy, which carries extra verification, runs $6.00. These prices are set by the court and may change. Call ahead to confirm.
On top of copy fees, traffic tickets come with fines and court costs. The fine amount depends on the violation. Court costs are added by law. Late payments may trigger extra fees. If you fail to pay or appear, the court can issue a bench warrant and suspend your license through the BMV. Under Ohio Revised Code Section 4510.22, the court can order a license suspension for failure to appear on a traffic charge.
Points on Your Driving Record
Every traffic conviction in Fairfield County gets reported to the Ohio BMV. The court sends an abstract within ten days under Section 4510.036. The BMV assigns points based on how bad the violation was.
Two points for basic speeding. Four points for reckless driving or going 30 over. Six points for OVI, fleeing, or leaving the scene. Accumulate 6 points in two years and the BMV sends a warning. Get to 12 and you face a six-month suspension. A remedial driving course can take off 2 points, but you can only use that once every three years.
If you get convicted of two offenses from the same traffic stop, only the one with the most points counts. That rule comes from Section 4510.036 and helps keep your total lower when multiple charges come from one incident.
Cities in Fairfield County
Lancaster is the county seat and the largest city in Fairfield County. Traffic cases from Lancaster go through the Fairfield County Municipal Court. Note that Fairfield city is not in Fairfield County. Fairfield city is in Butler County. Don't confuse the two.
Other communities in Fairfield County include Pickerington, Baltimore, Canal Winchester (partially), and several townships. All traffic cases from these areas go through the Fairfield County court system in Lancaster.
Nearby Counties
These counties border Fairfield County. Make sure your citation matches this jurisdiction before contacting the court.