Last amended July 1, 2026 · Last verified July 1, 2026
In one sentenceRule 73.6 keeps probate records in the courthouse unless the judge approves their removal, lets people obtain copies at a per-page cost the judge authorizes, and closes adoption, mental illness, minor settlement, and similar records to anyone the judge has not authorized, on pain of contempt.
(A)Records shall not be removed from the court, except when approved by the judge. Violation of this rule may result in the issuance of a citation for contempt.
(B)Copies of records may be obtained at a cost per page as authorized by the judge.
(C)Adoption, mental illness, minor settlements, and mental retardation proceedings are confidential. Records of those proceedings, and other records that are confidential by statute, may be accessed as authorized by the judge.
(D)A citation for contempt of court may be issued against anyone who divulges or receives information from confidential records without authorization of the judge.
End
Amendment History
Effective Date: July 1, 2026
Plain-English Summary
Division (A) keeps the files in the building: records may not leave the court without the judge’s approval, and a violation may bring a citation for contempt. Division (B) lets anyone obtain copies at a per-page cost the judge authorizes.
Divisions (C) and (D) protect sensitive files. Adoption, mental illness, minor settlement, and mental retardation proceedings are confidential, as are other records a statute makes confidential. Those records may be accessed only as the judge authorizes, and anyone who divulges or receives information from them without the judge’s authorization may be cited for contempt of court — the person who receives the information, not only the person who shares it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I look at an adoption file in probate court?
Only as the judge authorizes. Rule 73.6(C) makes adoption proceedings confidential, along with mental illness, minor settlement, and mental retardation proceedings and any records a statute makes confidential.
Can I take a probate file out of the courthouse?
Not without the judge’s approval. Removing records in violation of Rule 73.6(A) may lead to a citation for contempt.
Who can be held in contempt for sharing confidential probate records?
Anyone who divulges or receives information from confidential records without the judge’s authorization, under Rule 73.6(D).
Source & verification. The rule text, Effective Date, Amended dates, and Staff Notes are reproduced verbatim from the
official Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure (Ohio R. Civ. P. 73.6). Prescribed by the Supreme Court of Ohio (Ohio Constitution, Art. IV, § 5(B)). The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified July 1, 2026. ·
Official source
Also known as:probate recordsconfidential probate recordsadoption records