GENERAL DIVISION

LAKE COUNTY

COMMON PLEAS COURT

The Right to a Free Government Presupposes the Duty of Every Citizen to Obey the Government.

With four judges and 41 employees, the Lake County Common Pleas Court, General Division, has jurisdiction to hear criminal felony cases where the penalty imposed could be community control (probation) up to life imprisonment, or in some cases, death. The court hears civil cases with no limit on the amount that can be awarded. In addition, it hears appeals from the decisions of state and local administrative agencies. About 3,800 new cases are filed each year, including 900 felony cases and 1500 foreclosure cases. (See Court Statistics)

Cases are randomly assigned in each of the categories of civil, criminal, stalking, and foreclosure, in equal numbers, to each of the four judges of the General Division:

Judge Paul H. Mitrovich

Judge Eugene A. Lucci

Judge Richard L. Collins Jr.

Judge Vincent A. Culotta

Honorable Paul H. Mitrovich Presiding Judge** & Administrative Judge* (for detailed information about this judge/court, click on name)

Current Term: 01/05/03-01/04/09; Common Pleas Judge since 1979

(Law established this judgeship effective January 5, 1979)

(440) 350-2662

Jury line (440) 357-8865

Doctor of Judicial Studies degree candidate, University of Nevada, Reno

Master of Judicial Studies degree, University of Nevada, Reno, 1992

Juris Doctor degree, University of Toledo, 1965

Bachelor of Science degree, Ohio State University, 1960

STAFF

Bailiff/Jury Commissioner (440) 350-2797

Judicial Staff Attorney (440) 350-2663

Judicial Staff Attorney (440) 350-2792

Official Court Reporter (440) 350-2704

Administrator/Judge's Secretary/Assignment Commissioner (440) 350-2662

Magistrate Mathew E. Spangler (440) 350-2648

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Honorable Eugene A. Lucci (for detailed information about this judge/court, click on name)

Current Term: 01/06/07-01/05/13; Common Pleas Judge since 2001

(Law established this judgeship effective January 6, 2001)

(440) 350-2100

Facsimile (440) 350-2210

Jury line (440) 350-2151

e-mail: judgelucci@lakecountyohio.gov

Fellow (Inaugural) Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource (ASTAR) judge, Washington, DC, 2006

Master of Judicial Studies degree candidate, University of Nevada, Reno

Certificate in Judicial Development, General Jurisdiction Trial Skills, National Judicial College, 2004

Juris Doctor degree, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 1980

Bachelor of Arts degree, Case western Reserve University, 1976

STAFF

Bailiff/Jury Commissioner (440) 350-2097

Judge's Secretary (440) 350-2100

Judicial Staff Attorney (440) 350-2098

Judicial Staff Attorney/Office Administrator (440) 350-2094

Assignment Commissioner (440) 350-2095

Magistrate Mathew E. Spangler (440) 350-2648

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Honorable Richard L. Collins Jr. (for detailed information about this judge/court, click on name)

Current Term: 01/01/07-12/31/12; Common Pleas Judge since 2002

(Law established this judgeship effective January 1, 1841)

(440) 350-2720

Jury line (440) 350-2706

Juris Doctor degree, Ohio Northern University, 1974

Bachelor of Arts degree, Ohio Northern University, 1971

STAFF

Bailiff/Law Clerk (440) 350-2720

Administrator (440) 350-2720

Official Court Reporter (440) 350-2720

Magistrate/Assignment Commissioner/Jury Commissioner (440) 350-2720

Judge's Secretary/Arbitration & Mediation Commissioner (440) 350-2720

Magistrate Mathew E. Spangler (440) 350-2648

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Honorable Vincent A. Culotta (for detailed information about this judge/court, click on name)

Current Term: 01/03/07-01/02/13; Common Pleas Judge since 2004

(Law established this judgeship effective January 3, 1965)

(440) 350-2736

Jury line (440) 352-1616

Juris Doctor degree, Ohio State University, 1990

Bachelor of Science degree, Bowling Green State University, 1987

STAFF

Judge's Secretary & Criminal Assignment Commissioner/Jury Commissioner     (440) 350-2736

Official Court Reporter     (440) 350-2317

Judicial Staff Attorney     (440) 350-2318

Court Administrator & Civil Assignment Commissioner     (440) 350-2315

Bailiff     (440) 350-2316

Magistrate Mathew E. Spangler     (440) 350-2648

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The Adult Probation Department employs 14 officers, a full-time psychologist, and various administrative and clerical staff, who are employees of the judges of the General Division.

* 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 Common Pleas Court elect a Presiding Judge from the judges of the entire 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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Lake County Court of Common Pleas, 47 North Park Place, P.O. Box 490, Painesville, Ohio 44077-0490; Main Tel. (440) 350-2500