Municipal Court

The Portsmouth Municipal Court has jurisdiction to hear all criminal and traffic violations and certain civil matters that occur within Scioto County. Two Municipal Court judges are elected in a general election by the citizens of the county and serve six year staggered terms. A part-time magistrate is appointed by the judges and hears most small claims matters. 

Click here browse the official City of Portsmouth Municipal Court's web site.

Judges

Richard T. Schisler

Russell D. Kegley

(740) 354-3283

clerk@pmcourt.org

M-F
8:00 a.m. 4:30 p.m. (Note: No payments may be made in person after 4:00 p.m., due to end-of-day computer accounting procedures.)

Address:

728 2nd Street
Portsmouth, Ohio 45662

Court is located on the second floor.
Clerk of Courts and Probation Department are located on first floor.
Community Corrections and House Arrest are located 728 2nd Street on the first floor and can be reached at (740)353-7367.

Services:

• Hear and decide all traffic violations, all misdemeanor criminal violations and civil disputes with jurisdiction up to $15,000;
• Provide probation services;
• Provide alternative sentencing services;
• Provide treatment programs;
• Maintain Court records.

Detailed Service Information:
The Municipal Court hears and decides violations that occur within Scioto County as described below:

• Traffic violations - the Court hears and decides all causes involving the operation and licensing of motor vehicles, including DUI violations;
  

• Criminal violations - the Court can hear all misdemeanor causes; in felony cases, the court can only conduct preliminary hearings to determine probable cause to bind a case over to the Scioto County prosecutor for referral to the Scioto County Grand Jury;
  

• Civil Matters - the Court can hear civil disputes involving less than $15,000 and small claims disputes of less than $3000. Civil matters include landlord/tenant disputes, evictions, garnishments, personal injury claims, property damage claims and other related claims.

The Court will hear and decide more than 3500 criminal cases, 8500 traffic cases and 2400 civil cases in an average year.

Probation officers of the Court monitor over 2000 defendants who have been sentenced to a term of court supervision.

Alternative sentencing services are provided to help decrease the growing costs related to incarceration and include the following:

• Community Service - defendants are ordered to perform work for certain community agencies that are either tax supported or are supported by charitable donations;
  

• Work Release Community Service - certain qualified defendants who are in jail are allowed to work for certain community agencies that are either tax-supported or are supported by charitable donations. Such defendants receive one day credit on their jail sentence for each day they are on the program;
  

• Electronic Monitoring House Arrest - certain qualified defendants are permitted to serve their jail sentences in their own home where they are monitored and receive unscheduled home visits to ensure compliance.

Various treatment programs are sometimes ordered for defendants, including counseling services and drug and alcohol treatment. When appropriate, the Court will pay for these programs.

Through the office of the clerk of court, all records of the proceedings of the Court are maintained according to state law. The clerk's office is also responsible for accepting payments on fines and providing access to the public records in accordance with the law.