Ohio R. Superi. Ct. 18
Each municipal and county court shall establish a violations bureau for minor misdemeanors utilizing the citation system and procedure set forth in Criminal Rule 4.1.
Ohio. R. Superi. Ct. 18
Commentary (July 1, 1997)
Only nonsubstantive changes were made to former M.C. Sup. R. 11 in the 1997 amendments to this rule.
A minor misdemeanor is any offense specifically classified as such or any unclassified offense for which the only penalty is a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars. R.C. 2901.02.
Crim. R. 4.1 provides that a court may establish a violations bureau for all or particular minor misdemeanors. Thus, each court, by local rule, must specify that all or particular minor misdemeanors are to be processed by violations bureau.
Crim. R. 4.1 specifies the form of citation to be used and that the citation "* * * shall inform the defendant that, in lieu of appearing at the time and place stated, he may, within that stated time, appear personally at the office of the clerk of court and upon signing a plea of guilty and a waiver of trial pay a stated fine and stated costs, if any."
Crim. R. 4.1(E) requires the court to establish a fine schedule listing the fines and court costs for each minor misdemeanor. The fine schedule is to be prominently posted at the place violation fines are paid.