Upper Sandusky Municipal Court – Upper Sandusky, OH

Oct 26, 2021

A trusted Lawyer Will Help: 877-813-0719

A municipal court is a court with restrictive jurisdiction over criminal charges and civil matters inside its area. These courts can be located at the city or county tier.

Upper Sandusky Municipal Court INformation

Court: Upper Sandusky Municipal Court
Address: “119 N 7th St, Upper Sandusky, OH 43351”
Phone: 419-294-3809

City: Upper Sandusky
County: Wyandot
State: Ohio

What is the role of the Upper Sandusky Municipal Court?

Municipal Courts are often called “courts of limited jurisdiction.” Which means that they handle minor criminal charges, civil disputes, and traffic matters. Courts like Upper Sandusky Municipal Court are the first level of court for these types of cases.

On the other hand, the role of a county court is to deal with a large number of civil disputes within the respective region. Most cases involve family matters, personal injury, more serious criminal infractions, or lawsuits.

County courthouses have the jurisdiction to deal with misdemeanors and civil actions that can not exceed the amount of $15,000, while the circuits courts handle felony cases and more expansive civil matters.

Talk to an Experienced Attorney: 877-813-0719

TYPES OF Matters HEARD IN A MUNICIPAL COURT in Upper Sandusky, Ohio

Municipal courts are the lowest level of courts in the U.S.. They are usually found within the jurisdiction where they are located, but some locales share municipal courts with other municipalities.

This can be done to better service their population or to save money on overhead costs. The cases that may be heard by a municipal court depend on the municipality, but typically include traffic matters, criminal misdemeanors and code infractions.

There is no set definition for what constitutes a misdemeanor versus a felony, but generally speaking felonies would require more time in jail than misdemeanor crimes and fines may also be higher for felonies. Traffic violations usually result in points against your driver’s license as well

how are cases managed in the municipal court in Upper Sandusky?

Municipal courts are the entry level of the court system in the United States. They have jurisdiction over minor crimes, traffic crimes, and other civil matters. Municipal courts are often known as city courts or town courts. Matters are handled by a magistrate who is usually a lawyer, judge, or retired judge. Magistrates may be appointed by the mayor or city council board to assist for a specific time period.

Judges administer hearings to determine:

Probable cause for arrest
Set bail amounts and conditions of release
Conduct arraignment hearings when charges are filed against defendants by police officers
Distribute search warrants to law enforcement officers in order to protect evidence from crime locations
start preliminary inquiries to understand if there is enough evidence to mount a charge

The typical process of a Municipal Court matter

The process of a municipal courthouse case can be difficult to navigate. The following is an overview of the steps involved in a regular municipal court matter.

Step One: An Issuance of Summons

A summons is sent when someone has been charged with violating a local ordinance or state law. The citizen who has received the court summons will need to appear at their assigned time and location, which is usually the municipal courtroom, to respond for the charge(s) against them. If they don’t appear, they may be found guilty anyways and could be fined up to $1000 or sentenced to jail time if it’s a serious enough offense.

Speak with an Attorney: 877-813-0719

Second Step: Appearance before Judge or Magistrate

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

Municipal Court Penalties in Upper Sandusky, 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 100% accurate for the Upper Sandusky Municipal Court.

A violation is a crime that carries a penalty of $500 or below, while a misdemeanor charge can have 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 crimes in municipal courthouses vary depending on the severity of an crimes. For example, if you are caught with marijuana without having a license for it then you could be fined up to $2k or spend up to six months in jail.

Upper Sandusky Municipal Court Records

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

Common Questions ABOUT the Upper Sandusky Municipal Court

What is municipal court in Upper Sandusky, Ohio?

In Ohio, the municipal court is a lower court with civil and criminal jurisdiction within a town or municipality. Municipal courts thus have a small location and have limited authority as well, dealing only with petty charges and misdemeanor charges.

What does the municipal court handle in Upper Sandusky, Ohio?

Depending on the size 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. More serious cases/crimes are deal with by higher authorities.

Immediate Help, Call Now: 877-813-0719

How many judges does the Upper Sandusky Municipal Court have?

The number of judges depends on the municipality’s population.

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 retirement. Judges are commonly elected by the people with each precinct’s results judged according to population. Municipal magistrates are generally not lawyers but have some legal training and must complete many hours of ongoing courses every period to maintain their credentials.