Courts in Cuyahoga County oversee legal matters. Judges elected to each court handle different types of cases, including civil disputes and criminal offenses.
Municipal Courts
Judges in 13 municipal courts across the county hear cases involving traffic tickets, misdemeanors, and small civil claims, including evictions. Cleveland has the largest municipal court in the county. It has a separate housing division to handle evictions and code violations.
Common Pleas Courts
Common pleas judges are spread over four divisions: General, Domestic Relations, Juvenile, and Probate.
The 34 General Division judges handle felony and civil lawsuits involving more than $15,000. The court also has special dockets for people accused of crimes who have drug addictions, mental health issues or are veterans.
The five Domestic Relations judges handle divorce and custody cases. The court also handles child support and issues civil protection orders in domestic violence cases.
The two Probate Court judges handle wills and estates, issue marriage licenses, and request legal guardians if a person is not competent to handle their own affairs. The head probate court judge also appoints members to the Cleveland Metroparks Board of Park Commissioners.
The six Juvenile Court judges handle cases where children are accused of crimes or being unruly. The judges also handle cases involving allegations of child abuse and neglect, as well as private custody cases if parents are not married. A judge may transfer a child’s case to adult court — a process called bindover — where a child is tried as an adult. Bindovers can be required by state law in some cases. In other, judges have the discretion to make the decision to treat the child as an adult.
Cuyahoga County is home to the 8th District Court of Appeals, whose 12 judges decide appeals from the county’s lower courts.
The highest court in the state system, its seven justices decide cases appealed from lower courts and cases that raise constitutional questions, and death penalty appeals.