1 Courthouse Square, Bowling Green, OH 43402
Courthouse facade

Common Pleas Court About Us

About the Court

The Wood County Common Pleas Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction that was created by the Ohio constitution and established in Article IV, Section 1. It is charged with providing prompt and fair resolution of litigation in civil, criminal, and domestic relations cases in the Wood County community.  Our mission is to provide just and fair decisions in a timely manner to all persons who come before the Court.

The Ohio Channel – Ohio County Courthouses: Seats of Justice – Wood County

Schedule & Hours

Court Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm

2023 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE

 

Holiday DATE COURT WILL BE CLOSED
New Year’s Day Monday, January 2
Martin Luther King Day Monday, January 16
President’s Day Monday, February 20
Memorial Day Monday, May 29
Juneteenth Monday, June 19
Independence Day Tuesday, July 4
Labor Day Monday, September 4
Columbus Day Monday, October 9
Veterans’ Day Friday, November 10
Thanksgiving Day Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24
Christmas Day Monday, December 25

 

About the Courthouse

The Wood County Courthouse is a prominent structure and long admired by both residents and visitors to Bowling Green, Ohio. A petition was circulated in January 1893 to approve construction of the new building, with county commissioners passing legislation in February of that year. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on November 28, 1893. Over 15,000 attended the laying of cornerstone piece on July 4, 1894. Finishing touches were completed on April 10. 1897. Plans for the clock tower were announced in September 1895, and at the time, the clock would have been the second largest in the world. The county jail behind the courthouse was completed in 1902, and was vacated when the new Justice Center opened in 1990. The courthouse and jail were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973 and 1974.

The style of courthouse architecture is modernized H. H. Richardson Romanesque. The exterior combines sandstone, limestone and granite, with marble used throughout the interior. The carvings and sculptures were done by the Dayton firm, Whyte & Priest. The third floor contains two large murals that were painted by artist and former mayor of Bowling Green, I.M. Taylor, as well as a stained glass ceiling. The courthouse went through a variety of renovations between 1979 and 1981, including the addition of a Common Pleas courtroom. Please take a look at the video below to see some of the interior of the building, including the courtrooms.