Search Franklin Probate Court Records, Estates, Guardianship & Certified Documents
Use official Franklin County Probate Court, Ohio resources to search probate case records, check estate filings, request certified records, find forms, review guardianship information, confirm court hours, and avoid wrong court portals.
Choose what you need below. Franklin Probate Court users usually need case search, certified records, estate administration, small estate forms, guardianship information, marriage records, name change forms, or court location details.
📂 Search probate case records
Use this for: estate, guardianship, civil, trust, minor guardianship, and general probate case lookup.
Best official path: use Franklin County Probate Court’s General Case Search page.
Important: the court says case-search records are current as of the previous day’s date.
Franklin Probate Court Quick Facts
Franklin County Probate Court is the Probate Division of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in Columbus, Ohio. The court provides official online resources for estates, guardianships, certified records, forms, e-filing, marriage records, name changes, and general probate case search.
What This Franklin Probate Court Guide Covers
Official Franklin Probate Court Path
For Franklin County, Ohio probate search intent, start with the official Franklin County Probate Court website. The court’s official menu includes Certified Records, e-Filing, Estates, Forms, Guardianship, Marriage, Name Change, Local Rules, and Record Search.
Do not confuse Franklin County Probate Court in Ohio with Franklin County probate offices in other states. The official Ohio probate court address is 373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215.
Use General Case Search for estate, trust, guardianship, civil, and related probate case lookup.
Use Certified Records for record searches, copies, certifications, marriage abstracts, and historical record guidance.
Use Large Estate or Small Estate pages depending on the estate type and probate assets involved.
Use the Guardianship department and guardianship forms for adult or minor guardianship matters.
How to Search Franklin Probate Court Records Online
The official General Case Search page lets users search by case name, case open date, case number and suffix, case type and subtype, attorney name, fiduciary name, mother’s name, father’s name, and chiropractic register. The court notes that records provided through case search are current as of the previous day’s date.
Start with General Case Search
Open the official General Case Search page on the Franklin County Probate Court website.
Choose the best search method
Use case number if available. Otherwise search by case name, fiduciary name, attorney name, or case type.
Use the correct case type
Common type codes include E for Estate, C for Civil, T for Trust, GA for Adult Guardianship, GM for Minor Guardianship, M for Miscellaneous, and ST for Sentinel Trusts.
Request records if needed
If the online result is not enough, request a record search, copy, or certification through the Certified Records department.
Certified Records, Copies and Record Search Requests
Franklin County Probate Court maintains records for matters filed with the court, including estates, guardianships, name changes, marriage licenses, and other actions. Some records are confidential by law and are not open for public inspection, including adoption, mental illness, and developmental disability records.
Certified copies of court documents are listed at $1.00 per page.
Regular paper copies are listed at $0.10 per page.
Regular copies on CD are listed at $1.00 per CD.
Record searches may be requested by U.S. Mail or email at probate@franklincountyohio.gov.
Opening an Estate or Probating a Will in Franklin County
The Franklin County Probate Court estates page explains that estate administration is the process of collecting, maintaining, and distributing a person’s assets among creditors, heirs, and beneficiaries according to the will and Ohio law.
The court also explains that some assets may transfer outside probate, such as trust assets, joint and survivorship property, payable-on-death accounts, transfer-on-death property, and beneficiary-designated insurance or retirement benefits.
Use this path when probate assets require a court-appointed fiduciary and estate administration.
Use this path when a will needs to be admitted or recorded with limited additional administration.
The court notes that the $125 minimum deposit does not cover letters of authority.
The court strongly recommends that fiduciaries retain legal counsel because estate administration can be complex.
Franklin County Small Estate Filing Help
Franklin County Probate Court provides a Small Estate section and Small Estate Forms for eligible matters. Small estate procedures may be simpler than full estate administration, but the correct filing path depends on the assets, debts, beneficiaries, and Ohio probate requirements.
Check eligibility first
Do not assume every estate qualifies as a small estate. Review the official small estate page and current forms.
Gather asset information
List bank accounts, vehicles, real estate, personal property, debts, funeral expenses, and known beneficiaries.
Use current forms
Because Franklin County Probate Court has been revising forms, use the current official form page before filing.
Franklin County Probate Court Guardianship Information
Franklin County Probate Court provides a Guardianship department and Guardianships Forms section. Guardianship matters may involve adult guardianship, minor guardianship, fiduciary duties, reports, court oversight, and protected-person information.
Use this path for adult guardianship matters handled through Probate Court.
Use this path for minor guardianship filings and related case searches.
Use the court’s current Guardianships Forms page before filing or updating a guardianship matter.
Some records involving minors or protected persons may have restricted or confidential details.
Franklin Probate Court Forms, e-Filing, Hours and Payment Notes
The official Franklin County Probate Court website provides separate form categories for adoption, advance directives, birth records, civil matters, custodial accounts, disinterment, guardianship, large estates, marriage, minor settlements, name change, psychiatric commitment, small estates, trust, unclaimed funds, and wrongful death trust declaration matters.
Forms
Use the official Franklin County Probate Court forms section for current filing packets and PDFs.
Open Formse-Filing
Use the court’s e-Filing information page before submitting electronic filings.
Open e-FilingCourt Costs
Use the official court costs page before paying filing fees, deposits, or transaction charges.
Open Court CostsOfficial Franklin Probate Court Links
General Case Search
Search estate, trust, guardianship, civil, and other probate case records.
Open Case SearchCertified Records
Request record searches, certified copies, paper copies, and marriage abstracts.
Open Certified RecordsEstates Large
Estate administration, probate assets, will filing, fiduciary duties, and estate costs.
Open EstatesMarriage Search
Search Franklin County marriage-license records through the official probate site.
Open Marriage SearchFranklin Probate Court Map and Location
Franklin County Probate Court is located at 373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215. Confirm department location and transaction deadlines before visiting.
Franklin Probate Court FAQs
Where is Franklin County Probate Court located?
Franklin County Probate Court is located at 373 South High Street, 22nd Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215.
How do I search Franklin Probate Court records?
Use the official General Case Search page. You can search by case name, case open date, case number and suffix, case type, attorney name, fiduciary name, and other search fields.
Are Franklin Probate Court records current online?
The court states that records provided through the case search are current as of the previous day’s date.
How much are certified probate court copies?
The Certified Records page lists certified copies of court documents at $1.00 per page, regular paper copies at $0.10 per page, and regular CD copies at $1.00 per CD.
What records does Franklin County Probate Court maintain?
The court maintains records for matters filed with the court, including estates, guardianships, name changes, marriage licenses, and other actions. Some records are confidential by law.
Can court staff give legal advice?
No. The court explains that legal practice in Probate Court is restricted to attorneys licensed by the Supreme Court of Ohio, and court employees cannot give legal advice.