Don’t Be Fooled: The Garfield Heights Municipal Court Is an Asset, Not a Burden

There’s a narrative going around that the Garfield Heights Municipal Court is a financial burden on the city. That narrative is wrong.

I’ve read the court’s 2023 Annual Report cover to cover, and the numbers tell a very different story.

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The Real Numbers

In 2023, the court collected $1,220,376 in General Fund receipts and spent $1,714,271 in operating expenses — serving 87,953 cases across nine communities. The $493,896 shortfall is apportioned across all municipalities by caseload.

Garfield Heights’ share of the caseload is just 6.92%. That means the city’s apportioned cost is only $34,198 per year. Meanwhile, the court disbursed $175,143 in criminal and traffic fines directly back to Garfield Heights.

The city pays $34,198 and gets $175,143 back. That’s a 5-to-1 return.

Figure 1: Garfield Heights pays $34,198 into the court and receives $175,143 back — a net return of $140,944

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Where the Revenue Comes From

Figure 2: Court General Fund Receipts totaled $1,220,376 in 2023

Revenue Source	Amount
Civil/Small Claims	$520,044
Criminal/Traffic	$452,722
Traffic Camera	$247,234
Total Receipts	$1,220,376

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Who Actually Pays the Shortfall?

The $493,896 operating shortfall is apportioned by caseload under ORC §1901.026. Newburgh Heights pays 81.6% of the bill (primarily traffic camera cases). Garfield Heights pays just 6.92%.

Figure 3: Garfield Heights’ share is just $34,198 — third on the list

Municipality	% Caseload	Cases	Rebilled
Newburgh Heights	81.61%	71,779	$403,071
Walton Hills	7.00%	6,156	$34,569
Garfield Heights	6.92%	6,090	$34,198
Maple Heights	2.91%	2,559	$14,370
Independence	0.83%	733	$4,116
All Others	0.73%	636	$3,572
TOTAL	100%	87,953	$493,896

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87,953 Cases Across Nine Communities

Figure 4: The court handled nearly 88,000 cases in 2023 across 9 communities

The court handles felony preliminaries, misdemeanors, traffic violations, 1,289 eviction filings, civil disputes up to $15,000, small claims, and civil marriages. The Civil Division alone collected and disbursed $1,024,709 in judgments for litigants.

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Why Local Matters

Judges who know the community. Judge DiGeronimo and Judge Nicastro work here and understand the neighborhoods, the challenges, and the people who come through their courtroom.

Judges who show up. Our judges volunteer personal time for block watches, ward meetings, and community events. When’s the last time a county judge showed up at your block watch?

A court that puts people at ease. Local judges who engage the community remove the fear of going to court.

A court that helps the indigent. The Indigent Driver Alcohol Treatment Fund holds $425,620. Probation offers drug treatment, counseling, psychiatric care, and parenting programs. The Journey Center provides victim advocacy at no cost.

A court that protects the innocent. Local knowledge means better decisions. 730 probation cases are under active local supervision with community-based intervention.

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What We’d Lose

• $175,143/year in fine disbursements stops flowing back to the city
• Cases that go elsewhere — longer travel, longer waits, less personal attention
• Community outreach disappears — less likely to have judges at block watches
• Access to justice shrinks — especially for elderly, working families, and indigent residents
• $1,024,709 in civil judgment collections would go through county channels

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Keep Justice Local

• Attend a block watch when the judges are there
• Ask your council representatives to publicly support the court
• Share the facts — GH pays $34K, gets back $175K. Read the Annual Report at ghmc.org.
• Reject the narrative that local justice is a luxury — it’s a 5-to-1 investment

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Source: 2023 Annual Report of the Garfield Heights Municipal Court, published pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §1901.14(A)(4). Available at ghmc.org.