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1. What do I do with my Distracted Driver Ticket?

If you have been cited with Distracted Driving, per HB 95, the fine amount for your ticket will be an additional $100. 

For information on the Ohio BMV Driver Training Court for Distracted Drivers [ORC 4511.991], refer to the Ohio BMV website: https://www.drivertraining.ohio.gov

Please note:  If you plan to complete the Distracted Driver Training Course, you must notify the Court prior to your arraignment date. 

2. How can I check my driving record?

 You can go to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles website and obtain an unofficial copy of your driving record.

3. What are the court costs and deposits?

Visit the costs, deposits, and fees page to check out the current court costs.

4. Do we accept filings by fax?

Yes, we accept filings by fax, except we cannot accept an original complaint.

5. What can I do if I am not able to make it to court on time?

If you are scheduled for a Court appearance and you are legitimately and unavoidably detained (for example, if you are a truck driver and you are out of state), file a written request for a continuance with the Clerk's office. File the request before your court date. You may fax this request to the Court at 330-335-2723.

Your request will be reviewed and ruled upon by the Judge. If your request is granted, you will be notified of your next Court appearance by mail. Make sure the Court has a proper phone number and mailing address.

6. What happens if I don't show up for court?

If you do not show up for a scheduled court appearance for a criminal or traffic case in municipal court, you should expect a warrant to be issued for your arrest. This warrant is called a Capias and usually has a bond amount stated within the document. Once you are arrested, the bond must be posted to secure your release from jail. In order to avoid the issuance of a Capias, please see the next question. A Capias also can be expected if you do not pay the fine and do not show up on the date ordered by the court.

You should know that once a Capias is issued, the Clerk of Court can notify the BMV. The BMV in turn blocks the person's driver's license and vehicle registration issuance/renewal, and assesses the person a $15 fee. If you missed a court appearance or failed to pay a fine for a criminal case and think a Capias may have been issued for your arrest, you should immediately call your attorney, if you have one. In any case, you may call the Clerk of Court's office at 330-335-1596 to determine whether a Capias has been issued and the amount of any bond. The clerk's office should be able to give you instructions on how to post bond or otherwise respond to the Capias.

Your failure to appear for a scheduled appearance for a civil case can result in the case being dismissed if you filed the complaint, or a default judgment being rendered against you, if the suit was brought against you.

7. What do I do if I cannot make a court appearance?

Failure to appear in court can lead to your arrest and incarceration. If you cannot appear in Municipal Court, do as many of the following as soon as you can:

• If you are a witness, and were subpoenaed or asked to appear by the prosecuting attorney, call the prosecuting attorney. When you call, be sure to have the case number from the subpoena, if you have one.
• If you are a witness, and were subpoenaed or asked to appear by the defense attorney, call the defense attorney. When you call, be sure to have the case number from the subpoena, if you have one.
• If you are a defendant or a party to a case and have an attorney representing you, call the attorney as soon as you know you cannot appear as scheduled.
• If you are a defendant or a party to a case and do not have an attorney representing you, call the clerk which handles your type of case, found on the contacts page. Explain why you cannot appear. Please be aware that an arrest warrant may still be issued for your failure to appear, even if you call the clerk or the bailiff.
• Unless your attorney tells you otherwise, send a relative or a trusted friend to appear in court and explain why you cannot appear. Be sure your friend or relative knows where you are supposed to appear and how to contact you in case a question arises. Again, a warrant may still be issued for your failure to appear.

Please keep in mind that the Judge decides whether an arrest warrant is issued for your failure to appear, whether you are granted a continuance, or whether some other action is taken because you failed to appear. In appropriate cases, sanctions for failure to appear may include a person being prohibited from getting a driver's license, license plates or transferring a vehicle. Taking some action to inform court authorities you cannot appear will almost certainly be better than doing nothing at all. Please note that a request for a continuance must be in writing and may be sent as a fax to 330-335-2723.

8. Why are court costs charged if I pay a waiver and no court appearance is necessary?

Some court costs are required by the State. Mostly, court costs are required because every traffic citation or criminal complaint which is filed with the court must be entered into the court's computer system, and every document filed in each case must be put in a file, which the Clerk of Court is required to keep as a public record. This work must be done and the paper work is generated regardless of whether or not you appear.

9. Why am I called for jury duty in the Wadsworth Municipal Court if I do not live in the city of Wadsworth?

The jurisdiction of the Wadsworth Municipal Court is more than just the city of Wadsworth. Check out the jurisdiction of the Municipal Court.

10. What do I do with my children when I come to Court or when I come for jury service?

There are no facilities at the court to keep children occupied, so please make arrangements for your children to be taken care of when you have to come to court.

11. How does home arrest work?

The defendant is under the supervision of Lake Erie Interlock and Home Arrest, Inc., but remains in their own house instead of being incarcerated in the Medina County Jail. The defendant wears an electronic monitoring device to ensure compliance. The defendant pays for the cost of this program.

12. What is the cost of home arrest?

Lake Erie Interlock and Home Arrest, Inc, requires a $50 installation fee and charges $12 per day with an alcohol monitor, $9 per day without an alcohol monitor, and $10 per day for a cell unit.

13. What are the different types of bond and when can I get my money back?

The types of Bond are as follows:

• Surety Bond: Posted by a professional bonding company which guarantees the defendant's appearance in Court.
• Cash Bond: The full amount of the bond set by the Court must be paid. When the case is completed, the entire amount will be refunded.
• 10% Bond: The amount required to be paid is 10% of the amount of the bond. (If the bond amount is $5000, the amount you are required to post is $500.) When the case is completed, the Court keeps 10% of the amount posted and refunds the balance. (e.g. Of the $500 posted, the Court would keep $50 and $450 is refunded.)
• O.R. Bond: Own recognizance bond or a personal recognizance bond is where no money needs to be paid. It is a promise to appear secured by the person's signature.

If you post a bond for someone and you want to make sure you (and only you) can get the money back, make sure you are named on the receipt as the person who posted the bond. If you are not named and the receipt is written in the name of the arrested person, that person will be able to use the money toward his fine and costs and the balance will be refunded to the arrested person. Your money will not be refunded until the case is completely finished. That could take several months.