Court Offices

Court Administrator

The Court Administrator's Office handles many day-to-day administrative tasks and assists the judges in planning, developing, and implementing new or improved administrative procedures. Other functions performed by this office are budget preparation, personnel administration, data processing and public relations.

Small Claims Office & Magistrate

The judges are assisted by magistrates who hear traffic arraignments, traffic trials, small claim suits, landlord-tenant cases, garnishments, replevin, revivor and mandatory orders. The magistrates are attorneys appointed by the judges to gather the evidence and report their findings in written form. The use of magistrates gives special and immediate attention to these types of cases.

Traffic Court

Traffic court is presided over by a full-time magistrate who is appointed by the judges. The role of Traffic Court is to hear traffic arraignments, minor misdemeanor traffic trials and driver's license appeal hearings.

Probation Office

The staff of the Probation Office conducts pre-sentence investigations to assist the judges in the determination of appropriate sentences. The probation officers also supervise offenders who remain in the community under the jurisdiction of the court. This department administers alternative sentencing programs to supplement traditional penalties. Voluntary community service, for example, can serve as an alternative to incarceration and/or payment of fines in appropriate cases. Restitution to victims of crimes in accomplished through the Probation Department.

Service Bailiffs' Office

The Service Bailiffs' Office is responsible for personally serving court papers on persons involved in civil actions, including eviction writs, garnishments, attachments, and judgement executions. This office helps parties enforce judgments that have been lawfully decided by the court. The Service Bailiffs' Office also handles the Case Auditor's function including preparing and distributing case scheduling notices, daily calendars and will schedule marriage ceremonies before the judges of the court. 

Law Library

The Law Library provides legal reference material for judges, magistrates, attorneys and litigants. The Library has reference material in book form as well as access to specialized legal databases on the internet. Opinions from the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ohio Supreme Court and the 9th District Court of Appeals become available in the Library as soon as they are handed down, ensuring that decisions from the court are based on current law.

Information Technology

The Information Technology Department provides computer services and support for the municipal court. Information on criminal, traffic and civil cases, as well as parking violations is available 24-hours per day, seven days a week. Computer equipment management, programming services, report generation, statistical analysis and computer training are among many of the services provided by the department. Information from the Akron Municipal Court Information System not only supports the everyday workings of the court, but is also used by the Akron Police Department, the Law Department, Oriana House and the Health Department. 

Court Reporter

Court reporters at the Akron Municipal Court are responsible for creating a verbatim record of the court proceedings. Official transcripts are prepared for courtrooms that contain audio recording equipment. Those proceedings are then transmitted into typewritten form creating an official transcript.

Community Outreach

Our Community Outreach Department handles media requests, public relations, school field trip visits, social media and grant writing. This group's goal is to educate the community about the court's mission and ensure policies and procedures are followed correctly during media visits.

Jurisdiction

The Jurisdiction of a court is its power to hear cases and then render legally binding decisions. 

Geographical

The geographic jurisdiction of the Akron Municipal Court is the area from which cases may be brought and decided, as shown on the map. The Court may hear and decide cases originating from the cities of Akron and Fairlawn; in the townships of Bath, Richfield, and Springfield; in the Villages of Lakemore and Richfield; and in the part of Mogadore in Summit County. Such cases must also comply with subject matter jurisdictional limits of the court.