Ohio Court Information: Delaware County Common Pleas Court

What Types of Cases Does the Delaware County Common Pleas Court in Ohio Handle?

The juvenile court hears matters involving minors including civil, criminal, traffic, child custody, and child abuse, neglect, juvenile delinquency and unruliness, and dependency. Juvenile delinquency is when a minor is accused of committing an act that would be treated as a crime if they were an adult. Unruliness, on the other hand, is when a child will not follow the rules of home, school, and the community. Do realize that even if you have a record as a juvenile, it is possible to get your record sealed or expunged. An attorney can help with this.

The probate court handles wills, trusts, and estates. This means that the probate division helps distribute assets from one generation to another, help build families through marriage and adoption, establish guardianship for those in the community who become unable to care for themselves, and other related matters. It handles some types of issues you might not think of right away. For instance, it also handles birth certificate corrections, name changes, paternity, disinterment, and civil commitment.

The Delaware Common Pleas Court general division has general jurisdiction to handle a variety of civil and criminal cases. When going to court, make sure that you note the right address. The different divisions of the court have differing addresses as noted below.

The domestic relations court oversees divorce, dissolution of marriage, and child custody. This division is located in the same place along with the general division.

Where is the Delaware County Common Pleas Court?

The Court of Common Pleas has two major addresses. The General Division and Domestic Relations Division are located at:

Delaware County Common Pleas Court
91 North Sandusky Street
Delaware, OH 43015

The Probate Division and Juvenile Court are located at:

Delaware County Common Pleas Court
140 North Sandusky Street
Delaware, OH 43015

Phone number for the Delaware County Common Pleas Court: (740) 833-2500.

Visit the Delaware County Common Pleas Court website.

Who Presides Over the Court?

The Court of Common Pleas has three judges and six magistrates. The three judges are Judges Gormley, Hejmanowski, and Krueger. The six magistrates are Magistrates Childs, Kaiser, McCollister, Schoenling, Clinger, and Laughlin. The difference between a judge and a magistrate lies in the degree of power and jurisdiction they have over cases. Typically, the judges will handle the more complex cases. You can find out more about them on the Court's website.

Do I Need an Attorney for the Court?

You can represent yourself in court if you wish. This is called representing yourself pro se in legal speak. However, just because you can represent yourself, does not necessarily mean you should. Many people think they can watch a few law-related TV shows or talk to some friends who have been in court a few times and then they can win in court. But handling a case takes knowledge, experience, and finesse. Courts have rules that you must abide by, and if you are not a lawyer, you are not going to be able to navigate them effortlessly. Motions and other documents must be filed with the court on time and in the format the court requires, but a local Delaware County attorney would know how to do this. Cases can depend on state and federal law, including case law and statutes, but if you are not a lawyer, you won't be familiar with the cases that matter. Cases need to be presented professionally and persuasively. Attorneys are trained in the art of persuasion. If you need to go to court for any reason, including traffic violations, domestic disputes, or criminal charges, then you should find an experienced attorney to get you the outcome you deserve.

Wolfe Legal Services has extensive experience in criminal law, probate, and family law matters. The people of Delaware County trust me to get the job done. Contact me today for a free, confidential consultation at (614) 263-5297 or fill out the online form.