Download Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas

Hon. John J. Russo,
Administrative and Presiding
Judge
Administrative and
Presiding Judge

 Gets to boss around the other 33 Judges
 Makes decisions that everyone else just nods
and says “Yes, your Honor” to
 Patrols the streets
of Cleveland to
“clean up the place”
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court
Mission Statement
The mission of the Cuyahoga County Common
Pleas Court is to serve the public by providing
fair and equal access to justice. In our mission to
administer justice while maintaining our
independence, we will adjudicate civil and
criminal matters in a fair, impartial and efficient
manner.
Cuyahoga County

 Estimated 2014 population of
1,259,828
 Named after the Iroquoian
word Cuyahoga, which means
'crooked river‘
 There are 14 municipal courts,
including Cleveland, that bind
over felony cases to the
Common Pleas Court
Four divisions of Cuyahoga
County Common Pleas Court
 General

 Civil and criminal cases
 Appeals from most administrative agencies
 Domestic Relations
 Divorces and dissolutions
 Support and custody of children
 Probate
 Probate, adoption, and mental illness cases
 Juvenile
 Offenses involving minors
 Most paternity actions
Cuyahoga County Common
Pleas Court General Division

 Largest Court in Ohio with 34 Judges
 Elected to six-year terms or,
 Appointed by the governor of Ohio to
replace a Judge who has left the bench
 Hear civil cases valued at more than $15,000
 Hear criminal cases at the felony level
 Nearly 500 employees with an annual
budget of more than $50,000,000
Administrative and
Presiding Judge

 Elected annually by majority vote of the Bench
 Responsible for, and exercise control over, the
administration, docket, and calendar of the court
 Responsible to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in
the discharge of the administrative judge’s duties, for the
observance of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts
of Ohio, and for the termination of all cases in the court or
division without undue delay
 Responsible for accounting and auditing systems within
the court
 Administer personnel policies
Specialized Courts &
Dockets

 Drug Court
 Re-entry Court
 Mental Health Court
 Veterans Treatment
Court
 Asbestos Docket
What is housed in the
Justice Center?
 Common Pleas Court

 Cleveland Municipal Court
 Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department and
Cuyahoga County Jail
 Cleveland Police Department Headquarters
 Cuyahoga County and Cleveland Municipal
Court Clerks, Cuyahoga County and City
Prosecutor’s Offices