Scioto County Clerk of Courts Kathy Shupert has been named in a lawsuit claiming she did not give a citizen access to court records that should be open to the public.
A man named Tom Neilsen filed the complaint after he asked for trial exhibits and transcripts from a court case but said he never received them.
The case he wanted information from is State v. Christina Williams, Case No. 10-CR-061.
Why the Lawsuit Was Filed
Mr. Neilsen says he sent several written requests between April and October 2025, asking for the records.
In response, Ms. Shupert said those records were not in her office. In an email on April 14, 2025, she explained that trial exhibits are kept by the judge’s court reporter, not by the Clerk of Courts. She told Neilsen to contact the reporter, Kari Hayslip, and gave him her phone number.
Neilsen still believed the Clerk’s Office was responsible and sent another formal request on April 29, 2025.
This time, the Scioto County Prosecutor’s Office, speaking for Shupert, told him that the Clerk did not have the records and could not provide something that wasn’t in her possession.
Neilsen argues that the Clerk can’t pass the responsibility to another office and that the law requires the Clerk herself to give a written reason for denying access. He says that never happened.
Claims About Record Storage
Neilsen also says some court records were kept in a private garage instead of a public office. He believes this violates Ohio’s rules that say court documents must be stored safely and made available for people to review.
He claims this off-site storage could mean important exhibits might be missing or hard to find.
Neilsen paid an $85 filing fee and asked the court to order Ms. Shupert to turn over the records within 14 days and to make sure all the requested files are complete and available.
What the Court Will Decide
A judge will now decide whether Ms. Shupert must release the records or if her office’s response followed the law.
This case could help set rules for how local clerks in Ohio handle requests for public information in the future.
Neilsen says he only wants the same access to court records that any citizen is supposed to have.
Ms. Shupert’s office says it cannot release what it doesn’t have. The court will make the final decision.
What Is a Clerk of Courts?
In Ohio, the Clerk of Courts is the official who keeps track of all paperwork and records for the courts.
This includes things like case files, evidence lists, court orders, and payment records.
The Clerk’s job is to:
- File and protect all court documents.
- Make sure the public can access records that are not sealed by law.
- Collect court fees and manage financial records.
- Work with judges, lawyers, and the public to make sure cases are processed correctly.
Each county in Ohio elects its Clerk of Courts, and that person is responsible for making sure all records follow state laws about transparency and security.
What Does a Court Reporter Do?
A court reporter is a trained professional who writes down or records everything said in the courtroom during a hearing or trial.
In Ohio, court reporters:
- Create official transcripts (written records) of what was said in court.
- Keep track of exhibits, which are items shown to the jury (like photos, letters, or evidence).
- Provide copies of transcripts when requested by the court or the public (when allowed).
The court reporter works for the judge, not for the Clerk of Courts. That means the reporter may hold some of the records used during a trial, while the Clerk keeps the rest.
In Short
This lawsuit is about who is responsible for giving out court records — the Clerk or the court reporter.
It will be up to the judge to decide whether Kathy Shupert followed Ohio’s rules or if more records must be turned over to the public.
To examine the lawsuit for yourself, use this easy link: complaint 47 pdf
Read our previous reporting about Christina Williams: