The jurisdiction of the Obetz Mayor’s Court.

The Obetz Mayor’s Court has jurisdiction over traffic offenses and other misdemeanors alleged to be in violation of the Obetz Codified Ordinances or the Ohio Revised Code. This includes traffic offenses that occur in the Village of Obetz, like speeding, street racing, failure to yield, etc.

The Obetz Mayor’s Court convenes in the Obetz Administration Building every Wednesday at 5:00 p.m., excluding legal holidays. The presiding magistrate over this court is the Honorable Robert Krapenc. The Clerk of Court is Cathy Frederick. The Clerk of Court handles all court documents and payments to the court.

The legal process in the Obetz Mayor’s Court.

Like other Mayor’s Courts, the Obetz Mayor’s Court is not a court of record and has no authority to conduct jury trials. Otherwise, while less formal, the process for handling traffic and criminal cases in the Mayor’s Court is substantially similar to the process for handling these types of cases in Municipal Courts and Common Pleas Courts.

As to matters pending in the Obetz Mayor’s Court, there will be an arraignment, during which the charges are read and a plea is entered. The plea may be “not guilty,” “guilty” or “no contest.” If the matter is not resolved with a plea agreement, then there will be a trial before the magistrate. The magistrate is the presiding judicial officer and will make rulings on evidentiary objections and other legal matters. The magistrate also is the finder of fact as there is no jury trial. This means that, like a jury, the magistrate will determine guilt or innocence. If a defendant is found to be guilty, then the magistrate will determine the ultimate sentence or outcome of the case.

One of the benefits of having a traffic ticket pending in the Obetz Mayor’s Court is that a given defendant will have the opportunity to resolve his or her case in a less formal setting. If the case cannot be resolved at pre-trial in this Mayor’s Court, then under some circumstances the case may be transferred downtown to the Municipal Court with jurisdiction over the offense. Moreover, even if the defendant proceeds beyond pre-trial and is convicted in this Mayor’s Court, then the conviction may be appealed to the Municipal Court with jurisdiction over the offense.

Contact a Columbus lawyer to discuss your traffic ticket in the Obetz Mayor’s Court.

For legal assistance with your Obetz traffic ticket, contact us at 614.695.5000 or online. Frequently a lawyer can appear in court and resolve a traffic case in the client’s absence, provided both the court and the prosecutor agree. This saves the client the aggravation of taking time off from work, fighting traffic to get to court on time, waiting for potentially hours for the case to be called, standing in long lines, and potentially having to do it all over again if the case is continued.