On Wednesday, June 18, 2025, the Supreme Court of Ohio affirmed a decision by the First District Court of Appeals in a dispute between Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Pavan V. Parikh and the judges of the Hamilton County Municipal Court. The ruling addressed Parikh’s policy to limit online access to certain court records and the judges’ order to reverse that policy.
In May 2022, Parikh, the elected Hamilton County clerk, implemented a policy that removed online access to residential eviction case records older than three years from the date of judgment satisfaction. The policy aimed to prevent misuse of these records by employers or landlords, though the public could still access them in person at the clerk’s office.
The municipal court judges, led by Judge Josh Berkowitz, opposed the policy and requested a disclaimer on the clerk’s website clarifying that online searches would not include eviction records older than three years. Parikh offered a more general disclaimer, which the judges found insufficient.
In October 2023, the judges issued Administrative Order No. 23-45, directing Parikh to comply with local and state rules on public access to court records and to rescind his policy. Parikh did not comply, prompting the judges to warn of potential contempt proceedings. In response, Parikh filed a complaint with the First District Court of Appeals, seeking a writ of prohibition to block enforcement of the order and contempt actions. The judges countered with a request for a writ of mandamus to compel Parikh to reverse his policy and follow their order.
The First District Court of Appeals, with visiting judges from the Twelfth District, ruled in favor of the municipal court judges in September 2023. The court granted the judges’ motion for judgment on the pleadings, denying Parikh’s prohibition claim, and issued the writ of mandamus, ordering Parikh to restore online access to the eviction records. Parikh appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court and requested a stay, which was denied.
In its unanimous decision, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling. The court found that under Ohio law, municipal court clerks must perform duties as directed by the judges, including maintaining public access to court records.
The court rejected Parikh’s argument that he had discretion to limit online access, stating that such decisions fall under the judges’ authority. The court also dismissed Parikh’s claim that the judges lacked jurisdiction to hold him in contempt, noting that an appeal of any contempt order would provide an adequate remedy. Additionally, the court denied Parikh’s motion for oral argument.
A copy of the original filing can be found here.
