5661 Perkins Road, Bedford Heights OH 44146
440-786-3200
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Clerk of Courts
The Bedford Municipal Court is located at 165 Center Road in Bedford, Ohio as part of the New Bedford City Government complex. To find the court from Bedford Heights City Hall, turn right on to Perkins to Rockside, turn left on Rockside to Warrensville (Center) Road, turn left on Center to 165 Center Street, the Municipal Center. Court is set back off the road behind and opposite the Fire Department.
Bedford Municipal Court - Traffic/Criminal
Ross Cirincione serves Bedford Heights the Law Director/Prosecutor. Mr. Cirincione served as the city’s Assistant Law Director from 2004 until his appointment as Law Director in January of 2008. Tom O'Donnell and Marlene Ridenour are currently the city’s Assistant Prosecutors.
The Clerk of Courts for the Bedford Municipal Court is Thomas E. Day, Jr. However, Kathy Leggett serves as Clerk of Courts for the City of Bedford Heights.
Kathy was appointed to this position July of 2010.
General information:
Bedford Heights Waiver Bureau
Phone: (440) 786-3280
5661 Perkins Road
Bedford Heights OH 44146
Our Waiver Bureau Number is 440-786-3285.
(Payments [in full] can be made with a valid credit card over the phone)
Business Hours:
Monday - Friday (except holidays)
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Clerk of Courts office is staffed by one full time employee, Kathy Leggett and a part-time assistant clerk. Their responsibilities include preparing all tickets, summons, and warrant and affidavits that have been issued by Police Officers within the jurisdiction of the City of Bedford Heights. All activity concerning each ticket is tracked until its completion.
Within the Clerk of Courts Office is a Waiver Bureau. Officers may issue tickets whose offense may be waived provided they are within the guidelines. The guidelines include, but are not limited, to the following:
At time of payment Defendant must understand that they are entering a plea of guilty to the stated charge.
Insurance is to be provided by Defendant to the officer at the time of the traffic stop or to the Clerk of Courts office when payment is made.
Speeding violations may be waived up to twenty miles over the speed limit. All violations over twenty (20) miles are court appearance only.
Tickets issued that involve an accident may be waived provided the Defendant has insurance and damage to vehicles is minor.
You can also pay all waiverable offenses via credit card in person at the Clerk of Courts window in the City of Bedford Heights Police Department.
We have provided the Schedule of Waiver Fees for your convenience.
CITY OF BEDFORD HEIGHTS TRAFFIC WAIVER SCHEDULE
WAIVER FEES
CHAPTER 313, 331, 333, 335, 371
TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICES; OPERATIONS GENERALLY
| Section | Violation | Amount |
| 313.01 | Obedience to traffic control devices | $140.00 |
| 313.02 | Through streets; stop and yield right of way | $140.00 |
| 313.03 | Traffic control signal terms and lights | $140.00 |
| 331.05 | Overtaking, passing to left of center | $140.00 |
| 331.07 | Hazardous or no passing zones | $140.00 |
| 331.08 | Continuous lines of traffic | $140.00 |
| 331.09 | Following to closely | $140.00 |
| 331.10 | Turning at intersections | $140.00 |
| 331.12 | Prohibited U-Turn | $140.00 |
| 331.14 | Change of course, turning or stopping | $140.00 |
| 331.16 | Right of way at intersections | $140.00 |
| 331.17 | Right of way when turning left | $140.00 |
| 331.19 | Operation of vehicle at stop sign | $140.00 |
| 331.21 | Right of way of public safety vehicle | $140.00 |
| 331.30 | One-way streets and rotary traffic islands | $140.00 |
| 331.34 | Failure to control; weaving; full-time atten. | $140.00 |
| 331.42 | Shortcutting; across private property | $140.00 |
| 331.43 | Littering from motor vehicle | $140.00 |
| 331.44 | Wearing earplugs or earphones prohibited | $140.00 |
| 333.03A | Assured Clear Distance (Not ACDA) | $140.00 |
| 333.04A | Impeding the flow of traffic | $140.00 |
| 335.01 | Expired Operator’s License – up to 6 months | $140.00 |
| 335.09 | Expired Plates | $140.00 |
| 371.03 | Jay Walking | $54.00 |
| 371.05 | Pedestrians on highway/roadway | $54.00 |
| Minor Accidents – (no personal injury) Proof of Insurance Required | $180.00 | |
| Other Minor Misdemeanor Traffic Violations deemed waiverable | $140.00 | |
| Slow Speed – Subtract from the minimum speed, plus $105.00 costs | ||
| Speeding - $4.00 per mile over the speed limit, plus $105.00 costs | ||
| Construction Zone Speeding - $8.00 per mile over the speed limit, plus $105.00 costs (citation must be marked construction zone) | ||
| Court costs of $105.00 (which reflects a $10.00 waiver discount) are included in the above waiver amounts. Court costs also include State costs of $39.00 and Cuyahoga County costs of $5.00 | ||
| Seat Belts – Driver | $101.00 | |
| Seat Belts – Passenger | $91.00 | |
| Seat Belts – No child restraint | $91.00 | |
| Seat Belt waiver amounts include court costs of $71.00 (which reflects a $10.00 waiver discount). Court costs include State costs include State costs of $10.00. In accordance with O.R.C. Section 4513.263, the fines are $30.00 for drivers and $20.00 for passengers |
WAIVERABLE PARKING CITATION PAYMENT SCHEDULE
| Handicap Parking Violations | Waiverable | Fine | Court Costs | Total |
| 351.04F | Y | $250.00 | $40.00 | $290.00 |
| 4511.69F | Y | $250.00 | $40.00 | $290.00 |
| All other parking violations | Y | $25.00 | $40.00 | $65.00 |
| *If any community writes a handicap parking violation under the Ohio Revised Code 4511.69F, the penalty is $250.00 plus $40.00 court costs.*Note: A $5.00 charge will be assessed for each notice that is sent in addition to the above totals. | ||||
NON-WAIVERABLE TRAFFIC OFFENSES
- Indictable offenses.
- Operation of a motor vehicle while Under the Influence of Intoxicating Liquor, Narcotic or habit producing drug or permitting another person who is under the influence of intoxicating liquor, narcotic or habit producing drug to operate a motor vehicle owned by the defendant or in his custody or control.
- Driving while Under Suspension or Revocation of Driver’s License.
- Driving without being licensed to drive.
- Failure to stop and remain standing still upon meeting or over-taking a School Bus stopped on the highway for the purpose of receiving or discharging a school child.
- Any violation otherwise eligible for processing by the Traffic Violation Bureau in connection with which the officer, by reason of unusual circumstances, marked the notice as “PERSONAL APPEARANCE REQUIRED”.
By paying a waiver, you are entering a Plea of Guilty. Waiver payment amounts include State Costs of $39.00 (also known as the Ohio Reparations Rotary Fund).
$25.00 to the General Revenue Fund, and $9.00 to the Victims of Crime Fund.
Bedford Municipal Court: The Bedford Municipal Court is serviced primarily by Judge Michelle L. Paris and Judge Brian J. Melling with the assistance of several Magistrates.
COURT PROCEDURES
When your name is called, you will approach the Judge's Bench. The charge (violation) will be read to you and you will be asked what your plea is. You may plead Not Guilty, Guilty, or No Contest.
If you plead Not Guilty, you are in effect denying the truth of the charge. The matter will be set for trial, and the prosecutor will be required to prove every element of the charge beyond a reasonable doubt before a guilty finding may be made. You have the right to a trial by jury, in every criminal case other than a minor misdemeanor, or a trial to the Court. You also have the right to cross-examine the witness or witnesses called against you, the right to subpoena witnesses to appear on your behalf, and the right not to testify, if you so choose.
If you plead Guilty, you are admitting guilt. The Court will seek an explanation of the circumstances from the complainant or prosecutor, and ask you if there is any explanation you wish to make or additional information you wish to offer in mitigation before sentence is imposed. The Court will thereafter impose the penalty it feels is appropriate in the circumstances.
If you plead No Contest, you are not admitting guilt, but you are admitting the truth of the facts as alleged in the indictment, information or complaint. The plea of no contest cannot be used against you in any subsequent civil or criminal proceeding. The Court will seek an explanation of the circumstances as they are set forth in the complaint, as they are presented by the prosecution, or as they are presented by the complainant. The Court will also ask you if you have any further explanation of the circumstances or any information you wish to offer in mitigation of punishment. The Court will then make a finding of guilty or not guilty. If the finding is guilty, the Court will impose the penalty it feels is appropriate under the circumstances.
When the Court's judgment is announced, if you are found Not Guilty you will be ordered discharged forthwith. If you are found Guilty, you will be remanded to the custody of the bailiff or other authorized personnel to carry out the Court's penalty. Cash, money orders, personal checks (if approved by the Court) MasterCard and VISA are accepted for payment of fines and court costs. All fines and costs are due in full at time of sentencing. Non-citizens of the United States of America are required upon appearance to inform the Court of their legal status.
RIGHTS IN COURT
The right to be informed of the nature of the charge, the identity of the complainant, and the right to see or read the complaint. The right to an attorney and a reasonable continuance to obtain the services of an attorney.
In certain cases other than minor traffic offenses, if you are unemployed and/or without sufficient assets to hire an attorney, the Court will appoint an attorney for you. In such cases, you must complete an Affidavit of Indigency provided to you by the Court, and the Court will then determine whether to appoint an attorney for you based upon the facts presented in the affidavit.
The right to plead not guilty, guilty or no contest to the violation for which you have been charged.
- The right to a trial by jury in certain cases or trial to the Court.
- The right to cross-examine any witness who is called to testify against you.
- The right to inform the Court of any fact or circumstance you feels the Court should know.
- The right to testify or not testify in your own defense.
- The right to choose not to appear before a Traffic Magistrate in lieu of an appearance before a judge.
The Bedford Municipal Court is authorized to hear misdemeanor criminal and traffic cases that involve offenses occurring within its geographic jurisdiction, and civil cases within its monetary jurisdiction of $15,000.00 or less. The Small Claims Division of the Court deals with civil cases in which the amount is $3,000 or less.
The Bedford Municipal Court has jurisdiction over the following communities: Bedford, Bedford Heights, Bentleyville, Chagrin Falls, Chagrin Falls Township, Glenwillow, Highland Hills, Moreland Hills, North Randall, Oakwood, Orange, Solon, Warrensville Heights and Woodmere. Court hours are Monday through Friday (except holidays) 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. The Bedford Municipal Court website is www.bedfordmuni.org.
