Bedford Municipal Court Criminal Records
Bedford Municipal Court presides over local misdemeanor trials and preliminary hearings for felony cases for multiple towns and villages. Upon establishing probable cause, the Bedford Municipal Court transfers felony cases to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
Accessing criminal records depends on the document type: law enforcement files are available through the Solon Police Department, whereas court records are available through the presiding court or its online portal. Files may include:
- Initial law enforcement response files
- Investigative records
- Criminal case dockets
- Sentencing files
- Incarceration records.
Note: Solon is the largest town in Cuyahoga County under the jurisdiction of the Bedford Municipal Court. It operates a multi-tiered criminal justice framework whereby the Solon Mayor's Court handles initial citations and minor local infraction cases
What are Solon Public Records?
In Solon, public criminal records are official documents generated by the local justice system that are accessible under Section 149.43 of the Ohio Revised Code. These encompass law enforcement records maintained by the Solon Police Department and criminal case files regarding offenses within the Solon City limits.
According to the Ohio Public Records Act, municipal, county, and state agencies must make official government records accessible to interested individuals upon request, subject to statutory exemptions and judicial restrictions.
Generally, public criminal records include:
- Arrest records
- Booking and detention records
- Police incident and offense reports
- Criminal investigation records
- Criminal complaints and citations
- Misdemeanor and felony-related records
- Traffic-related criminal records
- Case files on criminal trials
- Probation, sentencing, and correctional records.
Solon Crime Statistics
The Ohio Incident-Based Reporting System shows a decrease in the number of crimes reported by the Solon Police Department between 2024 and 2025. In 2025, there were 13 violent crimes and 135 property crimes in Solon. While the number of violent crimes did not change, there was a significant decrease in property crimes and the total number of crime incidents compared to the previous year.
| Year | Crime Category | Crime Type |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Violent Crimes - 13 |
|
| Property Crimes - 135 |
| |
| 2024 | Violent Crimes - 13 |
|
| Property Crimes - 209 |
|
Are Solon Criminal Records Public?
Yes, Solon's criminal records are public. The Ohio Public Records Act mandates that individuals can access criminal records at the municipal, county, and state levels if there are no statutory exemptions or judicial restrictions.
Per this legislation, the Solon Police Department, the local Mayor's Court, and the Bedford Municipal Court must make official documents related to criminal justice within the city available to all interested individuals upon request. However, in addition to statutory exemptions, access depends on the specific agency holding the records.
For the City of Solon, the Bedford Municipal Court handles all non-waiverable misdemeanor charges for offenses that occurred within the city's limits.
While the Bedford Municipal Court has jurisdiction over misdemeanor trials in Solon, its jurisdiction extends beyond Solon City. The Bedford Municipal Court also handles preliminary hearings for establishing probable cause for felony offenses in Solon.
How to Obtain Solon Police Reports and Arrest Records
In Solon, access to police reports and arrest records is a straightforward process. The Solon Police Department provides online and offline access to basic adult incident reports. Individuals seeking access to Solon police reports and arrest records should visit the Solon Police Department Incident Report page and use the provided links to access the Solon Incident Search tool or the Ohio Department of Public Safety's Crash Retrieval Portal.
Information seekers can visit the Solon Open Records Request Page and fill out the Solon online Request Form, or print and complete the Request to View Public Records Form and email it to skostura@solonohio.org.
Requesters can also call the Solon Police Records Division at (440) 349-3699 or send an email message to PoliceRecords@SolonOhio.org. For mail-in or in-person requests for Solon police reports and arrest records, visit the Solon Police Department during regular office hours or mail a request to the agency's Records/Violations Bureau at:
Solon Police Department
Attn: Records Division
33000 Bainbridge Road
Solon, OH 44139.
How to Find Sex Offender Information in Solon
In Solon and across Ohio, sex offender registration and notification are at the county and state levels. The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio Attorney General's Office maintain the registry database for tracking and mapping sex offenders who reside, work, or school in Solon City.
Individuals seeking information about sex offenders in Solon should log in to the Ohio Sex Offender Registry and use any of the available criteria for information search.
At the county level, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) Unit provides automatic email alerts to registered residents if a sex offender moves within a 1-mile radius of specified addresses. Interested parties can also search the National Public Sex Offender Registry for information about sex offenders in Solon City.
What Happens if My Request for Criminal Records is Denied in Solon?
Under Ohio law, if the Solon Police Department or any of the courts in possession of Solon criminal records deny access to these documents, the agency must provide a written explanation stating the grounds for denying access. An agency may refuse a formal request if the document is on the statutory exemption list or due to missing details.
For an overly broad request, the requester can revise and resubmit it for reconsideration. Individuals who believe that a custodial agency's refusal to release a Solon criminal record is improper can petition for a writ of mandamus in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas or file a formal complaint with the Ohio Court of Claims.
How to Expunge or Seal Solon Criminal Records
Sealing or expungement of Solon criminal records requires a formal petition at the Bedford Municipal Court (misdemeanor records) or the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas (felony records). According to Section 2953.32 of the Ohio Revised Code, individuals can petition the courts that adjudicated their criminal cases to seal or expunge their misdemeanor convictions or 5th-, 4th-, and eligible 3rd-degree felonies.
To qualify for sealing or expungement, the applicants must complete their sentences, fulfill all court-imposed conditions, and observe any applicable waiting period. Furthermore, the judge will sign the sealing or expungement order after the petitioner appears at a hearing.