Chardon Municipal Court – Chardon, OH

Oct 26, 2021

Are you looking for information about the Chardon Municipal Court? Then you’ve come to the perfect place!

A municipal court is a court with restrictive area of authority over criminal charges and civil disputes within its location. These courts can be located at the county or city tier.

Chardon Municipal Court Information

Court: Chardon Municipal Court
Address: 111 Water St, Chardon, OH 44024
Phone: 440-286-2684

City: Chardon
County: Geauga
State: Ohio

What is the role of the Chardon Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are often called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they handle minor crimes, civil matters, and traffic matters. Courthouses like Chardon Municipal Court are the first level of court for this group of matters.

In other situations, the role of Chardon Municipal Court is to deal with a large number of civil disputes within the respective region. Most cases at Chardon Municipal Court involve family law matters, personal injury cases, more serious criminal charges, or contract disputes.

County courts have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that won’t exceed the amount of $15k, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and bigger civil cases.

Types of Affairs Seen in a Municipal Court in Chardon, Ohio

Municipal courts like Chardon Municipal Court are the entry level of courthouses in the U.S.. They are usually found within the jurisdiction where they are located, but some jurisdictions share municipal courts with other municipalities.

This can be done to better service their people or to save money on administrative costs. The matters that will be heard by a municipal court like Chardon Municipal Court can change based on on the municipality, but typically include traffic violations, small criminal charges and code violations.

You will not find a standard for what constitutes a misdemeanor charge versus a felony case, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor charges and fines may also be higher for felonies. Traffic violations usually result in points against your driver’s license as well

How are cases handled in the municipal court in Chardon?

Municipal courts are the lowest level of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic crimes, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are have often been called city courts or town courts. Cases at Chardon Municipal Court are managed by a magistrate who is usually an attorney, judge, or retired judge. Magistrates may be appointed by the mayor or city council members to help for a specific time period.

Judges preside over hearings at Chardon Municipal Court to determine:

Probable cause for arrest
Set bail amounts and terms of release
Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against defendants by police officers
Distribute search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to secure evidence from crime locations
Conduct preliminary examinations to learn if there is enough evidence to charge

The Usual Process of a Municipal Court Matter

The common process of a municipal court case can be tricky. The following is an overview of the steps involved in a regular municipal court matter at Chardon Municipal Court:

Step One: An Issuance of Summons

A summons is issued when someone has been charged with violating a city ordinance or state law. The person who has received the summons will need to show up at their assigned time and location, which is usually the municipal courtroom, to answer for the charge(s) against them. If they fail to appear, they may be found guilty anyways and could be fined up to $1000 or given a jail sentence if it’s a serious enough offense.

Step Two: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate

If someone fails to respond after being summoned by the judge, there may be a warrant issued for the individual.

Municipal Court Penalties in Chardon, OH

Penalties change often, which is why it’s best to speak with licensed attorney near you. The information below represents common penalties, but may not be accurate for the Chardon Municipal Court.

A violation is a crime that has a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor can carry penalties up to $1000 or one year in local jail. A person’s driving privileges may be suspended for six months if they receive three speeding tickets within 12 months.

The penalties for different offenses in municipal courts vary depending on the severity of an crimes. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a medical prescription for it then you could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.

Chardon Municipal Court Records

Municipal Court records from Chardon Municipal Court may be difficult to find because they are not always stored in one area or system. The records that an individual might need to depend on the matter they have in front of the court, where it’s at in the process, and what kind of of information is required by law to be available.

Questions About the Chardon Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Chardon, Ohio?

In Ohio, the municipal court is a lower level with civil and criminal matters within a town or municipality. Municipal courts like Chardon Municipal Court have a small area of influence and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty charges and misdemeanor crimes.

What does the municipal court handle in Chardon, Ohio?

Depending on the area of the municipality, a municipal court can handle a civil division (cases with less than $15,000 at issue), a traffic/criminal division, or a housing and environmental division. Serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.

How many judges does the Chardon Municipal Court have?

The number of judges depends on the municipality’s size. You’ll find this information directly on the Chardon Municipal Court website.

How are cases heard in municipal courts in Ohio?

A municipal courthouse judge may be either elected or appointed to serve for a set duration or until they retire. Judges are commonly elected by precincts with each precinct’s results judged based on population. Municipal judges are generally not attorneys but have some legal training and must finish several hours of continuing material every period to maintain their licenses.