Reviewed and updated October 9, 2026 by the SearchSystems.net editorial team. The arrest counts are the ones each agency reported to the FBI, as the FBI held them on October 8, 2026. Every office link was opened and checked against the office's own site between September 23, 2026 and October 9, 2026.
Lima, Ohio, in Allen County, has about 35,000 residents (2024 Census Bureau estimate). Its court cases are filed in the Allen County Court of Common Pleas and the Municipal and County Courts, and the file of each case, kept by the Clerk of Courts, is the public record of it. This guide says which court hears what, where to look a case up and who keeps the files.
This guide covers the courts, the records page, criminal cases, kinds of files, directory links and common questions.
Related guides: Lima public records, Allen County court records, Lima arrest records, Lima warrants, Lima inmate search, Lima criminal records, Ohio arrest records and Ohio inmate search.
The Courts That Hear Cases from Lima
Court cases from Lima are filed in the Allen County Court of Common Pleas, which hears felonies, civil cases over $15,000, divorces, probate and juvenile matters, each in its own division.
The Municipal and County Courts take misdemeanors, traffic cases, evictions and civil cases up to $15,000; mayor's courts handle some village tickets.
Divorces go to the Domestic Relations Division of the Court of Common Pleas, and the file stays with the Clerk of Courts.
The Clerk of Courts keeps the files, and a copy of anything in a file comes from that office, under the court's own rules rather than the Ohio Public Records Act.
Looking Up a Case from Lima
For Allen County, SearchSystems opened and checked the court records page for the county at clerkofcourts.allencountyohio.com (page title: Allen County Clerk of Courts), which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
Ohio has no single public index of every trial court case; each court's records are looked up through that court.
The Ohio court page SearchSystems verified is at supremecourt.ohio.gov/clerk/ecms.
What Reaches the Court from Lima
Together, the seven agencies in Allen County with all twelve months of 2025 on file reported 1,149 arrests to the FBI that year; the Prosecuting Attorney decides which of those arrests become cases in the Allen County Court of Common Pleas or the Municipal and County Courts.
The Prosecuting Attorney's page SearchSystems verified is at allencountyprosecutor.net/civil-division (page title: Civil Division | Allen County Prosecutor’s Office | Allen County Ohio | www.allencountyprosecutor.net), Monday - Friday 8 AM - 4:30 PM, which answered when SearchSystems opened it on September 23, 2026.
The Kinds of Court Files
Criminal cases, divorces, traffic tickets and evictions all end up as files of these courts, and the file is what the public sees of each.
The other Lima guides take the kinds of file one at a time: Lima criminal records, Lima divorce records, Lima traffic tickets, Lima DUI and Lima property records.
More Official Court Pages for Allen County
The SearchSystems directory, online since 1997, lists the official pages for Allen County and Ohio. These court pages from its Allen County listing were opened again on October 2, 2026 and each one still answers:
- OH, Allen County (courtvweb.allencountyohio.com)
- Ohio Trial Courts & Local Rules (supremecourt.ohio.gov)
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I look up a court case in Lima?
The court records page SearchSystems verified for the county is at clerkofcourts.allencountyohio.com.
Which court hears felonies in Lima?
The Allen County Court of Common Pleas, which hears felonies, civil cases over $15,000, divorces, probate and juvenile matters, each in its own division. The Municipal and County Courts take misdemeanors, traffic cases, evictions and civil cases up to $15,000; mayor's courts handle some village tickets.
Who keeps the court records in Lima?
The Clerk of Courts. Copies come from that office under the court's own rules.
Is there a statewide court case search in Ohio?
No. Each court's records are looked up through that court.
Is this the official Lima website?
No. SearchSystems.net is an independent public records guide, online since 1997. It links to the official city, county, court and state offices described above and does not hold records, charge for them or take requests.