LAKE
COUNTY
COMMON PLEAS COURT
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COMMON PLEAS COURT |
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Lake County (2000 population 227,511) is situated along 31 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, immediately east of Cleveland. It is the 11th most populous, and smallest in area, of Ohio's 88 counties. Its county seat is Painesville. The Lake County Common Pleas Court consists of four divisions: General Division: 47 North Park Place, Painesville, Ohio 44077 (Civil litigation and felony criminal cases; appeals from administrative agencies) January 5th term (estab. 1979) (440) 350-2662 January 6th term (estab. 2001) (440) 350-2100 January 1st term (estab. 1841) (440) 350-2720 January 3rd term (estab. 1965) (440) 350-2736 Domestic Relations Division: 47 North Park Place, Painesville, Ohio 44077 (Divorces, dissolutions, and custody and support of children) January 2nd term (estab. 1961) (440) 350-2709 Juvenile Division: 53 East Erie Street, Painesville, Ohio 44077 (Offenses involving minors; most paternity actions) January 4th term (estab. 1979) (440) 350-3000 Probate Division: 25 North Park Place, Painesville, Ohio 44077 (Wills and estates, adoption, mental illness cases) February 9th term (440) 350-2626 The
judges of the Common Pleas Court were created by the
Ohio
Constitution, Article IV § 4: (A)
There shall be a court of common pleas and such divisions thereof as may be
established by law serving each county of the state. Any judge of a court of
common pleas or a division thereof may temporarily hold court in any county. In
the interests of the fair, impartial, speedy, and sure administration of
justice, each county shall have one or more resident judges, or two or more
counties may be combined into districts having one or more judges resident in
the district and serving the common pleas courts of all counties in the
district, as may be provided by law. Judges serving a district shall sit in each
county in the district as the business of the court requires. In counties or
districts having more than one judge of the court of common pleas, the judges
shall select one of their number to act as presiding judge, to serve at their
pleasure. If the judges are unable because of equal division of the vote to make
such selection, the judge having the longest total service on the court of
common pleas shall serve as presiding judge until selection is made by vote. The
presiding judge shall have such duties and exercise such powers as are
prescribed by rule of the supreme court. (B)
The courts of common pleas and divisions thereof shall have such original
jurisdiction over all justiciable matters and such powers of review of
proceedings of administrative officers and agencies as may be provided by law. (C)
Unless otherwise provided by law, there shall be a probate division and such
other divisions of the courts of common pleas as may be provided by law. Judges
shall be elected specifically to such probate division and to such other
divisions. The judges of the probate division shall be empowered to employ and
control the clerks, employees, deputies, and referees of such probate division
of the common pleas courts. Unlike the other divisions, judges on the General Division have what is called "general jurisdiction" to hear civil and criminal cases. Under Ohio law, Municipal courts have jurisdiction to hear civil cases with a value of up to $15,000.00; Common Pleas civil jurisdiction has no upper limit. Criminal jurisdiction includes all crimes defined by statute as felonies, as well as certain other criminal offenses. MUNICIPAL
COURT QUESTIONS If
you have a question concerning any of the following matters, you should contact
the Municipal Court for the appropriate community: ·
Misdemeanor Cases
Traffic or Parking Violations · Landlord-Tenant/Eviction Cases ·
Small Claims Cases * Each year, the judges of the General Division elect an Administrative Judge from the judges of that division. The Administrative Judge has full responsibility and control over the administration, docket, and calendar of the General Division. ** Each year, the judges of the Court of Common Pleas elect a Presiding Judge from the judges of the common pleas court. The Presiding Judge calls and conducts the annual meeting of the judges for the purpose of discussing and resolving administrative problems common to all divisions of the court. The Presiding Judge also assigns judges of the court on a temporary basis to serve in another division of the court as required by the business of the court.
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Judge Eugene A. Lucci Lake County Court of Common Pleas, 47 North Park Place, P.O. Box 490, Painesville, Ohio 44077-0490; Main Tel. (440) 350-2500 |
Judge William W. Weaver