Criminal Cases And DUI / OVI Cases In The Worthington Mayor’s Court
The Dominy Law Firm is a firm of criminal defense lawyers representing clients in the Worthington Mayor’s Court for criminal offenses and DUI / OVI offenses, and this page provides information on those types of cases in that court. When you are required to go to court, it’s a good idea to educate yourself about your situation. This page will explain more about the Worthington Mayor’s Court, and other pages of this website will help you inform yourself about all of the issues associated with going to court for a criminal offense or DUI/ OVI.
For More Information About The Worthington Mayor’s Court
Address: 6550 North High Street, Worthington, OH 43085
Phone: (614) 786-7351
Website: Worthington Mayor’s Court
Cases Heard In The Worthington Mayor’s Court
First-offense DUI / OVI cases and misdemeanor criminal cases are heard in the Worthington Mayor’s Court when the alleges offenses occur within the city of Worthington, Ohio. This court does not have jurisdiction for felony offenses: only misdemeanors. The cases heard in this court include:
• Underage Drinking
• Shoplifting
• DUI / OVI
• Drug Crimes
• Domestic Violence
• Assault
Judges And Prosecutors For The Worthington Mayor’s Court
In the Worthington Mayor’s Court, the presiding judicial officer may be the City Mayor or a magistrate (a local lawyer or retired judge appointed to preside in the mayor’s court). A Columbus attorney, Karen Sheffer, is the prosecutor in the Worthington Mayor’s Court. If a case is transferred from the Worthington Mayor’s Court to the Franklin County Municipal Court, an attorney from the Columbus City Prosecutor’s Office prosecutes the case in the Municipal Court.
The Court Process
The beginning of a DUI / OVI or criminal case is the filing of a complaint which indicates the offense(s) with which you are charged (in DUI / OVI cases, the complaint is the traffic ticket). The complaint will contain a summons directing you when to appear for your first court appearance.
Your first court appearance will be an arraignment (usually on Tuesdays at 6:00 pm). At the arraignment, you will be given three options: plead guilty, plead no contest, or plead not guilty. If you enter a plea of guilty or no contest, the mayor or magistrate will impose the sentence, and the case will be concluded.
If you plead not guilty, you should then exchange evidence with the prosecuting attorney (the exchange of evidence is called ‘discovery’). Your next court appearance will be a pretrial hearing (also usually at 6:00 pm on Tuesdays). At the pretrial hearing, the attorneys have a conversation about the case and engage in plea negotiations. If the negotiations do not result in a plea agreement, the case is scheduled for a trial. Before the trial is held, the court may hold a motion hearing to decide contested legal issues.
If no plea agreement is reached, the court will hold a trial (also on Tuesdays at 6:00). The Worthington Mayor’s Court does not hold jury trials, so the Mayor or magistrate will decide if your are guilty or not guilty. If you are found guilty, or if you plead guilty, the Mayor or magistrate will hold a sentence hearing to announce your sentence. The sentence hearing may a separate hearing, or the sentencing may be held with one of the other hearings.
Transferring A Case To The Municipal Court
The Worthington Mayor’s Court is not a ‘court of record, and you have the right to have your case heard in a ‘court of record’. That means you have the ability to move your case to a ‘court of record’ at any time during the case and appeal to a ‘court of record’ after your case is finished. If you transfer or appeal, the case starts over in the Franklin County Municipal Court, and the prosecutor changes to the Columbus City Prosecutor’s Office. Moving your case from the Worthington Mayor’s Court to the Franklin County Municipal court is a big decision, and it would be helpful to discuss that decision with an experienced criminal defense lawyer.
Attorneys For Criminal And DUI/OVI Cases In The Worthington Mayor’s Court
There are a few decisions you should make before attending your first court appearance. First, you should decide whether you will plead guilty/no contest or not guilty. Second, you should determine if you are hiring an attorney. Third, you should choose the attorney to hire. The attorney you hire may significantly affect the case, so it is wise to research attorneys and find one with expertise in criminal defense and experience in the Worthington Mayor’s Court.
The Dominy Law Firm practices only criminal defense (including DUI/OVI defense) and has represented many clients in the Worthington Mayor’s Court. For information on our attorneys, please see the Attorney Profiles. You may also want to see our firm’s client reviews and case outcomes, which you can find on this site. If you finish your research and would like to talk with us about your case, you can call us at 614-717-1177, or you can submit a CONTACT FORM to schedule a free phone consultation.