Ohio Mayor's Courts

Last updated

Mayor's courts are state courts in Ohio created by some municipalities. Mayor's courts hear traffic cases, violations of city ordinances and other misdemeanors. The presiding officer is a magistrate (not a judge) appointed by the mayor, or sometimes mayor themself, and paid by the city or village.

Contents

Mayor's courts are not considered trial courts or courts of record and are not subject to the supervision of the Ohio Supreme Court. Mayor's courts are not authorized to conduct jury trials. If a defendant is entitled to and desires a jury trial, then the case is transferred to the jurisdiction's trial court of limited jurisdiction (Municipal Court or County Court). Ohio Revised Code (ORC) 1905.23 provides that within 10 days, a defendant may appeal a decision of the Mayor's Court, and it will be transferred to the appropriate county or municipal court. [1]

History

Mayor's Courts were not created by the state's constitution or the Ohio Supreme Court. The exact timeline of creation is unclear, but Cincinnati created a Mayor's Court in 1819. The state legislature enacted Section 1905.05 on August 17, 2006. [2]

Criticism

A 2019 report by the ACLU of Ohio criticized mayor’s courts as profit-driven institutions that undermine due process and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. [3] The report argued that the structure of mayor’s courts creates financial incentives for municipalities to generate revenue through citations rather than focus on public safety. In some jurisdictions, police issued more than 100 traffic citations per officer in a year, far exceeding rates in comparable municipal or metropolitan courts, suggesting that ticketing was being used primarily to raise funds. [3] Several municipalities derived significant portions of their budgets from mayor’s court revenue; for example, Newburgh Heights collected more than 14% of its total revenue in 2015 from its mayor’s court. [3]

The ACLU also reported evidence of racial and socioeconomic disparities. In many suburbs bordering Ohio’s large cities, Black drivers were cited at rates far higher than their proportion of the population. In the village of Amberley, for example, only 9.5% of residents were Black, but more than half of the citations issued between 2014 and 2017 were to Black motorists. [3] Similar disparities were found in other municipalities, where ticketing patterns suggested that mayor’s courts were reinforcing racial segregation and targeting lower-income neighboring communities. [3]

The report further criticized harsh penalties for unpaid fines and fees. Many courts issued large numbers of bench warrants for missed payments or appearances in minor traffic cases, resulting in incarceration for defendants who could not afford to pay. License suspensions were also commonly imposed for non-payment, which the ACLU argued created cycles of debt and criminalized poverty. [3] Observers noted that courts rarely conducted hearings to assess ability to pay, despite constitutional requirements to do so. [3]

According to the report, mayor’s courts also lacked transparency and accountability. Unlike municipal courts, they generally did not record proceedings, leaving defendants without a formal record if their rights were violated. Magistrates in several courts were observed discouraging not-guilty pleas, delaying transfers to municipal court, or ignoring evidence presented by defendants. [3]

The ACLU noted that revenue-driven practices in Ohio’s mayor’s courts have already been found to raise due-process concerns by the United States Supreme Court in cases such as Tumey v. Ohio (1927) [4] , as well as by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals and federal district courts in Ohio. [3] Former Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer publicly called for the abolition of mayor’s courts in 2008. [3] [5]

List of Mayor's Courts

The following is a list of mayor's courts and their caseloads as of 2024: [6]

MunicipalityCounty2020 PopulationNew Filings in 2024New Filings per 100 Population
Aberdeen Brown 1,51540927.0
Addyston Hamilton 92737140.0
Albany Athens 91710.1
Alexandria Licking 4839820.3
Amberley Hamilton 3,84065317.0
Andover Ashtabula 972555.7
Antwerp Paulding 1,6761348.0
Arlington Heights Hamilton 81733641.1
Ashley Delaware 1,198484.0
Ashville Pickaway 4,5291493.3
Athalia Lawrence 2791,400501.8
Avon Lorain 24,8471,0154.1
Baltimore Fairfield 2,9811745.8
Barnesville Belmont 4,0081794.5
Beachwood Cuyahoga 14,0401,3359.5
Bedford Heights Cuyahoga 11,0201,0119.2
Bellaire Belmont 3,8702616.7
Bellville Richland 1,96336118.4
Belmont Belmont 414348.2
Belpre Washington 6,7282513.7
Bentleyville Cuyahoga 89729032.3
Bethel Clermont 2,6201,06940.8
Bethesda Belmont 1,21118915.6
Beverly Washington 1,233836.7
Bexley Franklin 13,9285263.8
Bloomville Seneca 86740.5
Blue Ash Hamilton 13,3941,0497.8
Boston Heights Summit 1,40299771.1
Bradner Wood 97120.2
Bratenahl Cuyahoga 1,43072350.6
Brecksville Cuyahoga 13,6359647.1
Bridgeport Belmont 1,5821,23277.9
Broadview Heights Cuyahoga 19,9361,4427.2
Brook Park Cuyahoga 18,5952,99116.1
Brooklyn Cuyahoga 11,3592,06518.2
Brooklyn Heights Cuyahoga 1,51955636.6
Brunswick Medina 35,4261,4294.0
Buchtel Athens 518285.4
Buckeye Lake Licking 2,5201024.0
Byesville Guernsey 2,364401.7
Camden Preble 1,98920010.1
Canal Winchester Franklin 9,1077528.3
Canfield Mahoning 7,699811.1
Cardington Morrow 2,0791205.8
Carlisle Warren 5,5011993.6
Carroll Fairfield 50112825.5
Catawba Clark 245114.5
Chagrin Falls Cuyahoga 4,1881493.6
Chesapeake Lawrence 765827108.1
Cheviot Hamilton 8,6585115.9
Coal Grove Lawrence 1,8892,836150.1
Coldwater Mercer 4,7741222.6
Columbiana Columbiana 6,5591912.9
Columbus Grove Putnam 2,160562.6
Commercial Point Pickaway 3,0782167.0
Coolville Athens 454122.6
Crestline Crawford 4,52568615.2
Creston Wayne 2,13924211.3
Cridersville Auglaize 1,7911468.2
Crooksville Perry 2,418773.2
Cuyahoga Falls Summit 51,1143,2636.4
Cuyahoga Heights Cuyahoga 57352391.3
De Graff Logan 1,250231.8
Deer Park Hamilton 5,43264511.9
Donnelsville Clark 255813318.8
Doylestown Wayne 3,0511434.7
Dresden Muskingum 1,65010.1
Dublin Franklin 49,3283,4847.1
East Canton Stark 1,52124015.8
Elida Allen 1,923371.9
Elmwood Place Hamilton 2,0871,58275.8
Empire Jefferson 23214160.8
Enon Clark 2,4491958.0
Evendale Hamilton 2,66939614.8
Fairfax Hamilton 1,76839622.4
Fairlawn Summit 7,71077110.0
Fairport Harbor Lake 3,108270.9
Fayetteville Brown 31741.3
Felicity Clermont 651385.8
Forest Park Hamilton 20,1898284.1
Frazeysburg Muskingum 1,3541269.3
Gahanna Franklin 35,7262,9438.2
Gates Mills Cuyahoga 2,26455324.4
Geneva-on-the-Lake Ashtabula 916647.0
Georgetown Brown 4,4534299.6
Glendale Hamilton 2,29873031.8
Glenwillow Cuyahoga 99429029.2
Glouster Athens 1,659422.5
Golf Manor Hamilton 3,81448512.7
Grafton Lorain 5,895560.9
Grand River Lake 39431379.4
Granville Licking 5,94667911.4
Greenhills Hamilton 3,7413138.4
Grove City Franklin 41,2523,7779.2
Groveport Franklin 6,0095539.2
Hamersville Brown 48530963.7
Hanging Rock Lawrence 2041,046512.7
Hanoverton Columbiana 354144.0
Harrisburg Franklin 31530496.5
Harrison Hamilton 12,5631,1869.4
Hartford Licking 40110626.4
Hartville Stark 3,3292798.4
Harveysburg Warren 55416830.3
Haskins Wood 1,245493.9
Hicksville Defiance 3,4311063.1
Higginsport Brown 2137133.3
Highland Hills Cuyahoga 66226640.2
Hilliard Franklin 37,1141,4383.9
Hubbard Trumbull 7,6361421.9
Independence Cuyahoga 7,58494912.5
Indian Hill Hamilton 6,0653896.4
Jackson Center Shelby 1,441151.0
Johnstown Licking 5,1824017.7
Kelleys Island Erie 2565320.7
Kirkersville Licking 4716614.0
Lagrange Lorain 2,59549819.2
Lexington Richland 4,8482465.1
Lincoln Heights Hamilton 3,14400.0
Lithopolis Fairfield 2,1341567.3
Lockland Hamilton 3,5142,61274.3
Loudonville Ashland 2,7861796.4
Louisville Stark 9,5211862.0
Loveland Clermont 13,3076504.9
Lucas Richland 589172.9
Macedonia Summit 12,1681,68713.9
Madeira Hamilton 9,4878929.4
Madison Lake 3,43535510.3
Malta Morgan 55900.0
Manchester Adams 1,8391769.6
Maple Heights Cuyahoga 23,7017983.4
Mariemont Hamilton 3,51876921.9
Marshallville Wayne 78949562.7
Martins Ferry Belmont 6,2603345.3
Matamoras Washington 702517.3
McConnelsville Morgan 1,66753332.0
McDonald Trumbull 3,172812.6
Middleburg Heights Cuyahoga 16,0041,5349.6
Middleport Meigs 2,208803.6
Midvale Tuscarawas 67300.0
Milan Erie 1,371866.3
Milford Clermont 6,5821,41321.5
Minerva Stark 3,6842055.6
Minerva Park Franklin 2,00926513.2
Minster Auglaize 3,046341.1
Mogadore Portage 3,8111844.8
Monroe Butler 15,4121,1807.7
Montgomery Hamilton 10,8535825.4
Moraine Montgomery 6,3931,40822.0
Moreland Hills Cuyahoga 3,466942.7
Morrow Warren 2,04958728.6
Mount Eaton Wayne 17184.7
Mount Gilead Morrow 3,50344812.8
Mount Healthy Hamilton 6,9961,17116.7
Mount Orab Brown 4,3471,66838.4
Munroe Falls Summit 5,0443236.4
Nelsonville Athens 4,61200.0
New Albany Franklin 10,8251,12510.4
New Boston Scioto 2,29775432.8
New Bremen Auglaize 3,0341394.6
New Carlisle Clark 5,5592093.8
New Concord Muskingum 2,36124810.5
New Holland Pickaway 804804100.0
New Knoxville Auglaize 94630.3
New Middletown Mahoning 1,50720613.7
New Richmond Clermont 2,72752119.1
New Straitsville Perry 652578.7
New Waterford Columbiana 1,194121.0
Newburgh Heights Cuyahoga 1,86278242.0
Newcomerstown Tuscarawas 3,7021293.5
Newtown Hamilton 2,70269425.7
North Baltimore Wood 3,3692046.1
North College Hill Hamilton 9,6639079.4
North Hampton Clark 4571,271278.1
North Kingsville Ashtabula 2,74251618.8
North Olmsted Cuyahoga 32,4426,24219.2
North Randall Cuyahoga 96014715.3
North Ridgeville Lorain 35,2802,1346.0
North Royalton Cuyahoga 31,3229072.9
Northwood Wood 5,1601,52129.5
Norwood Hamilton 19,0439895.2
Oakwood Cuyahoga 3,5661,54243.2
Oakwood Paulding 3,572170.5
Obetz Franklin 5,4894668.5
Olmsted Falls Cuyahoga 8,5824385.1
Ontario Richland 6,6561,52022.8
Orange Cuyahoga 3,42183824.5
Owensville Clermont 78623730.2
Parma Heights Cuyahoga 20,8632,55512.2
Pataskala Licking 17,8861,0525.9
Peebles Adams 1,774613.4
Perrysville Ashland 729415.6
Pickerington Fairfield 23,0942,0969.1
Piketon Pike 2,11141719.8
Pleasantville Fairfield 93434036.4
Plymouth Richland 1,707311.8
Poland Mahoning 2,4631,23049.9
Pomeroy Meigs 1,57328718.2
Port Jefferson Shelby 308196.2
Powhatan Point Belmont 1,461221.5
Proctorville Lawrence 523564107.8
Put-in-Bay Ottawa 154399259.1
Reading Hamilton 10,6002,21220.9
Reynoldsburg Franklin 41,0763,1217.6
Richfield Summit 3,72978221.0
Rio Grande Gallia 724405.5
Ripley Brown 1,591161.0
Risingsun Wood 54120137.2
Rockford Mercer 1,051858.1
Roseville Muskingum 1,746714.1
Russells Point Logan 1,32016812.7
Russellville Brown 542254.6
Rutland Meigs 42725960.7
Sardinia Brown 1,08379373.2
Seaman Adams 97310310.6
Seven Hills Cuyahoga 11,7201,1119.5
Seven Mile Butler 712273.8
Shadyside Belmont 3,454391.1
Sharonville Hamilton 14,1171,2638.9
Sheffield Lorain 4,1841,58537.9
Sheffield Lake Lorain 8,9573554.0
Shreve Wayne 1,497251.7
Silverton Hamilton 4,908190.4
Smithville Wayne 1,33822416.7
Solon Cuyahoga 24,2626542.7
South Amherst Lorain 1,58165541.4
South Bloomfield Pickaway 2,14354025.2
South Charleston Clark 1,70626115.3
South Lebanon Warren 6,3842994.7
South Point Lawrence 3,8361,17230.6
Spencerville Allen 2,19810.0
Springboro Warren 19,0627423.9
Springdale Hamilton 11,0071,24411.3
St. Bernard Hamilton 4,0703949.7
St. Clairsville Belmont 5,096491.0
St. Louisville Licking 3526719.0
Strongsville Cuyahoga 46,4912,3315.0
Sunbury Delaware 6,6143405.1
Syracuse Meigs 78181.0
Terrace Park Hamilton 2,35538016.1
Thornville Perry 1,087605.5
Tremont City Clark 352669190.1
Trenton Butler 13,0215474.2
Upper Arlington Franklin 36,8001,9165.2
Utica Licking 2,06439519.1
Valley View Cuyahoga 1,89750426.6
Valleyview Franklin 669426.3
Walbridge Wood 3,0111856.1
Walton Hills Cuyahoga 2,03389644.1
Washingtonville Columbiana 71212617.7
Waverly Pike 4,15390721.8
Wayne Wood 84100.0
Waynesburg Stark 92525027.0
Waynesfield Auglaize 74913317.8
Waynesville Warren 2,66979029.6
Wellsville Columbiana 3,1131855.9
West Carrollton Montgomery 13,1293202.4
West Salem Wayne 1,4301137.9
West Union Adams 3,004461.5
Westerville Franklin 39,1901,4573.7
Westfield Center Medina 1,18430.3
Whitehall Franklin 20,1273,07615.3
Williamsburg Clermont 2,57063224.6
Willoughby Hills Lake 10,0192,71027.0
Wilmot Stark 2828229.1
Winchester Adams 987181.8
Wintersville Jefferson 3,76581921.8
Woodlawn Hamilton 3,9162,23157.0
Woodmere Cuyahoga 64151580.3
Woodsfield Monroe 2,210381.7
Worthington Franklin 14,7861,0046.8
Wyoming Hamilton 8,75692510.6
Yellow Springs Greene 3,6971193.2
Total1,624,695163,93010.1

References

  1. "Appealing a Mayor's Court Decision" . Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  2. "Section 1905.05, Mayor's court magistrate". April 9, 2025. Retrieved August 4, 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Off the Record: Profiteering and Misconduct in Ohio’s Mayor’s Courts (PDF) (Report). American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio. April 15, 2019. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  4. Tumey v. Ohio , 273 U.S. 510 (1927)
  5. "Mayor's Court Testimony". Supreme Court of Ohio. December 2, 2008. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  6. "Mayor's Courts Registration and Reporting » Supreme Court of Ohio". www.supremecourt.ohio.gov. Retrieved September 4, 2025.