Ohio Municipal Courts

Ohio Municipal Courts are law courts of limited jurisdiction in the U.S. state of Ohio that handle cases involving traffic, non-traffic misdemeanors, evictions and small civil claims (in which the amount in controversy does not exceed $15,000). These courts also conduct preliminary hearings in felony cases.[1]

Ohio's municipal and county courts are courts of limited jurisdiction and courts of record. They are created by the General Assembly as provided in R.C. 1901 and 1907, and are limited by subject-matter jurisdiction.

The jurisdiction of municipal and county courts are identical: In some counties, municipal courts exercise countywide jurisdiction. In those situations, there is no county court. County courts exist in places where an area of a county is not served by a municipal court.

Judges of the municipal courts are elected to six-year terms on a nonpartisan ballot, although candidates may choose to run in partisan primary elections. In order to be appointed or elected to the court, a person must be an attorney with at least six years of experience in the practice of law.