Municipal Court

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Welcome to jury service. We sincerely hope that your stay with us will provide you with an enjoyable, interesting, educational, and meaningful experience regarding the law, the Courts, and our own system of justice.

To decide cases correctly, jurors must be honest and intelligent. They must have both integrity and judgement. The jury system is based on these attributes. Jurors must decide the facts and apply the law impartially. They must not favor the rich or the poor. They must treat alike all men and women, corporations, and individuals. Justice should be rendered to all persons, regardless of race, color, or creed.

The performance of jury service is the fulfillment of a civil and moral obligation. Conscientious service brings its own reward in the satisfaction of an important task well done. There is no more valuable work that a citizen can perform in support of the judicial system of government than the full and honest discharge of jury duty.

The purpose of the following information is to familiarize you with some of the facets of jury service. It is not intended to advise you about the law, as this is the Judge's responsibility. The law can be different in each case.

Here at the Youngstown Municipal Court, jury service strives to operate as a one day, one trial system. That means jurors will be required to appear no longer than two consecutive days, during the two week session. Upon receiving a Summons to Appear for Jury Duty, each juror must complete a Jury Questionnaire (see link below), no later than three (3) days from receiving their summons.

Jurors are instructed to start calling (330)742-8822 the day before they are scheduled to serve to receive reporting instructions. Each day, for two weeks, jurors must continue to call this number to receive reporting instructions for the following day. This number will provide information on whether they need to report for service, along with the date and report time, or if they will need to continue to be “on-call.”

Jurors will be given a one day advance notice to report for jury service. Jurors will call the jury telephone number listed on the summons and listen for their last name and juror number. If a juror hears both then they would be required to appear for jury duty at the scheduled date and time. The last day of jury service will be the Friday of the second week. Jurors will not be asked to extend jury service beyond this date.

The Youngstown Municipal Court is located at 9 West Front Street, Youngstown, OH 44503 (Map ).

Excusals may be granted for a variety of reasons, but must meet the statutory requirements and be submitted by fax to (330)742-1768 or by emailing jury@youngstownohio.gov, no later than five (5) days after receiving a summons. Requests can also be made by completing a Request for Excusal from Jury Duty form (see link below).

Do I have to respond to the summons to serve as a juror?

Yes. The Summons to Jury Service is an official court summons. If you do not respond or report for jury service without a lawful excuse from the Court, you could be brought before the Court on a charge of Contempt of Court. If found in Contempt by the Judge, the Court could impose a fine and/or other punishment as provided by Ohio law.

I received a jury summons for a deceased family member. What should I do?

We apologize for any undue hardship this has caused. Please mark the outside of the summons "Deceased" with the date of death and return it in the enclosed self-addressed envelope.

Am I at the right courthouse?

If your jury summons is from the Mahoning County Court of Common Pleas, that courthouse is located at 120 Market Street, Youngstown, OH 44503, (330) 740-2219, across the street from the Youngstown Municipal Court.

The Youngstown Municipal Court is located at 9 West Front Street, Youngstown, OH 44503 (Map ).

What kind of cases will be heard?

The Youngstown Municipal Court has jurisdiction over criminal and traffic misdemeanor cases. The Court also hears civil actions involving less than $15,000.

What do I do when I receive my summons?

1. Complete a Jury Questionnaire (see link below).
   
   • Jury Questionnaire - ONLINE
2. Call (330)742-8822 the day before you are scheduled to report for service.
3. Check in on the third floor of the Youngstown Municipal Courthouse on the day you are advised to report.

Who is eligible to be a juror?

To be eligible for service, a person must be at least 18 years of age, citizens of the United States, and a resident of Youngstown. Jurors must also be able to communicate in the English language and be physically and mentally capable of serving.

Jurors need to be able to listen carefully, follow instructions, keep an open mind, be willing to make a decision free from personal feeling or biases, respect the opinion of each juror, and value the different viewpoints each juror can bring to the case.

How did my name get selected for jury duty?

Jurors names are selected at random from a list of registered voters provided by the Board of Elections.

Do jurors get paid for their service?

For each day of reporting, jurors receive $15 and will be reimbursed for parking. After the completion of jury service, a check will be issued and mailed to the juror’s provided residential address.

What if my employer requires me to turn in a statement that verifies my attendance at jury duty?

Jurors may request verification of attendance from the Jury Commissioner on their last day of service or by emailing jury@youngstownohio.gov.

What should I wear for jury duty?

Wear comfortable clothing that enhances the dignity of the Court and emphasizes the seriousness of your responsibility. Shorts, hats, tank tops, t-shirts, sweatsuits, or other informal attire is not considered appropriate in the courtroom.

What hours will I serve?

Normal business hours at the Courthouse are from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. On days that you report for jury service, you can expect to be there during these normal business hours. It is extremely important that you be on time. If not selected for a jury, you will be excused for the day. Jurors are given a lunch break and may be given other breaks during the trial. On occasion, a trial will extend beyond the normal working hours. If this happens, you may need to arrange your schedule to allow you to stay longer.

Is it possible that I might report for jury service but not sit on a jury?

Yes. The parties involved in a case generally seek to settle their differences and avoid the expense and time of a trial. While the case may be settled just a few moments before the trial begins, your time is not wasted. Your presence encourages settlement.

Parking is available for a fee at the following locations. Please note that parking reimbursement is only available for the Jaminet Parking Lot, with provided receipt of payment.

• Vindicator Front Street Lot
• Phelps & Front Street Lot
• 23 West Boardman Street
• Jaminet Parking Lot

The Probation Department provides services to the court that include:

• conducting competency evaluations
• making referrals for mental health and substance abuse treatment
• Suspended License Intervention Program
• conducting pre-sentence investigations
• monitoring probationers, Electronic House Arrest orders, and community service.

Through an agreement with Community Corrections Association Inc., the Court is referring eligible defendants to house arrest rather than imposing jail time, resulting in a savings to the city of more than $1 million when compared to the cost of incarceration.

Municipal Court - Probation Youngstown Municipal Courthouse, 3rd Floor 9 West Front Street Youngstown, OH 44503 Map Office Phone: (330) 742-8848 Fax: (330) 742-8845 Email: mvath@youngstownohio.gov Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The court administrator is responsible for supervision of all non-judicial functions of the Court including personnel, payroll, human resources, communications, and budget management. The administrator also coordinates operations of all Court departments, oversees security issues, and reports to the Administrative/Presiding Judge.

Municipal Court - Court Administrator Youngstown Municipal Courthouse, 3rd Floor 9 West Front Street Youngstown, OH 44503 Map Office Phone: (330) 742-8843 Fax: (330) 744-1768 Email: dmagura@youngstownohio.gov Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

The Assignment Office schedules civil, criminal, and traffic cases, and manages case flow in compliance with Ohio Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.

Municipal Court - Assignment Office Youngstown Municipal Courthouse, 3rd Floor 9 West Front Street Youngstown, OH 44503 Map Office Phone: (330) 742-8770 Fax: (330) 742-8821 Email: afrederick@youngstownohio.gov Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Service bailiffs serve subpoenas, eviction notices, and other documents, as well as enforce evictions and other court orders. The chief bailiff supervises the office and oversees jury management duties.

Municipal Court - Service Bailiffs & Jury Management Youngstown Municipal Courthouse, 3rd Floor 9 West Front Street Youngstown, OH 44503 Map Office Phone: (330) 742-8832 Fax: (330) 744-1768 Email: gwilliams@youngstownohio.gov Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM