Clerk of Courts

Teresa J. Lammers     *     email the clerk

                   Teresa has been employed in the Putnam County Clerk of Courts office for the past 20 years.  She was appointed to the position of Clerk of Courts in January 2003 and was elected to begin her first 4-year term in January 2004. 

            The Clerks of Court offices are the point of entry to the court systems throughout the State of Ohio. All cases and documents filed within the Putnam County Common Pleas Court and the Putnam County Court or orders issued from a judge are processed through the Clerk’s office. The Automobile and Watercraft Title Division is also under the supervision of the Clerk of Courts. 

            The office of the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas traces its origin to the medieval “Cleric”.  In creating a state judicial system, the 1802 Ohio Constitution provided for the appointment of a Clerk of Courts for each county.  Under the 1851 Constitution, the office became elective for a three-year term, which was extended to four years in 1936.

            The Putnam County Courts were created in May 1834.  William Cochran, Henry Morris and Silas McClish were appointed by the Governor as Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of Putnam County.  The first courthouse was a wooden structure located in Kalida but in 1838 a substantial brick courthouse and jail were erected.  A fire on December 18, 1864 severely damaged the courthouse destroying many county records.  The county commissioners ordered deeds and records to be rerecorded.  

            A hard fought battle followed over whether the new county seat and courthouse should be moved from Kalida to Ottawa.  Ottawa had the advantage of a growing population and a railroad along with a central location.  Voters decided to move the county seat and an 1866 Ottawa resolution provided $15,000 for the construction of a courthouse.  Soon after the turn of the century discussion began again concerning a larger courthouse.  In 1909 the voters agreed by a margin of 700 of the 5000 voters to build the current courthouse.  The building commission was quoted, “In the year 2000 may our posterity say they builded wiser than they knew.  Let us give something to those who live after us.”  A Columbus architect was hired and by 1912 construction was completed on our present day oak, marble, and stained glass structure on budget of under $200,000.