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Civil - Small Claims

Types of Civil Cases:

CVE- Personal Injury or Damage

CVF- Contracts, Accounts or Rental

CVG- Foricible Detention

CVH- Other, BMV Appeal, Transfers

CVI- Small Claims

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Limits on Small Claims Cases: $3000

Limits on Civil Cases: $15000

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Schedule for Filing Fees in Civil/Small Claims

Civil Case- $90

Additional Defendants- $5

Subpoena- $20

Certificate of Judgement- $5

Garnishment of Personal Wages- $75

Personal Service of Garnishment by Sheriff- $20

Garnishment-Other than personal earnings- $20

Execution or Attachment Filing Fee/Deposit- $520

Judgement Debtor Exam- $30

Additional Defendants- $5

Precipe for Financial Questionnaire- $20

Additional Defendants- $5

Forcible Detention- $90

Personal Service in Athens- $35

Personal Service Outside of Athens- $50

Counterclaim- If Court Serves- $5

Third Party Complaint if Court Serves- $5

Reopened Case Filing Fee- $10

Jury Deposit- $500

Writ of Restitution- $10

Personal Service in Athens- $35

Personal Service Out of Athens- $50

Set out fees- $65

Small Claims Case- $44

Addditional Defendants- $5

Triple Seal - $4

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Diversion Program

The Athens County Municipal Court’s Underage Drinker’s Diversion Program is designed for first time offenders charged with underage possession of an alcoholic beverage, underage con-sumption of an alcoholic beverage, possession of an open container, false identification or dis-orderly conduct by intoxication. The program is an opportunity to avoid a criminal conviction. There are four elements necessary for the successful completion of this program. They are as follows:

EDUCATION: A three hour alcohol counseling program is required. The two programs that have been approved by the Court in Athens County are the Substance Abuse Assessment for Municipal Court Offenders (SAAMCO) offered by Health Recovery Services (740-592-6720, ext. 4733) and Court Alcohol Substance Education Program (CASEP) held by Flores and Asso-ciates, Inc. (740-592-4797). The fee to attend either of these is $35 and is separate from any costs assessed by the Court. A comparable class pre-approved by the diversion officer may be substituted for one of these two.

COMMUNITY SERVICE: Twelve hours of community service are required for the success-ful completion of the program. All twelve will be done in Athens County; eight are to be com-pleted on a Saturday that is assigned to you. This date will not be changed. If you wish to change, you must find someone in the diversion program whose workday falls before your final diversion date and make a trade. Report that trade to the diversion officer. The other four hours are to be scheduled and completed at one of the non-profit or not for profit organizations on the list provided with your timesheet. Any deviation from this list must be pre-approved by the di-version officer.

DIVERSION FEE: The Diversion Program requires a non-refundable fee of $150 and court costs. Costs for a single charge are $84; each subsequent charge is another $35. This can be paid at any time after your arraignment and before the diversion date.

TIME: You are expected to remain a law abiding citizen for the ninety days of the program. A second offense will have the likely result of your removal from the program; a second offense generally results in jail time.

The opportunity to enter the program is offered at arraignment. At that time, you are provided with a diversion contract, community service timesheet and information about the available al-cohol classes. Upon acceptance into the program, you are given a court date (referred to as a diversion date or enforcement date) 90 days later. You are expected to have all elements of the program completed before that date; only if you do not are you required to appear in court on that date. Upon successful completion, the case is dismissed and quickly expunged.

If 12 hours community service, proof of alcohol class, and payment of $234 (for one charge; $269 for two charges, etc.) are not completed by the diversion date, you are expected to appear in court on the enforcement date and your case will be removed from diversion and prosecuted. No extensions or continuances are given. The Diversion Officer is Mary Norwood. She can be reached from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 740-592-3328, extension 246 or at mnorwood@ci.athens.oh.us

Community Service Opportunities

APAC (740) 797-2608

Athens County Dog Shelter (740) 593-5415

Dairy Barn Cultural Center (740) 592-4981

Last Chance Corral (740) 594-4336

Nelsonville Food Cupboard (740) 753-3810

New to You (740) 592-1842

OU Campus Recycling (740) 593-0231

OU Service Facilities (740) 593-1611

Reuse Industries (740) 689-8200

Reuse Industries (Athens) (740) 594-5103

Keith Kittle, Lake Snowden Maintenance (740) 698-6373

Nelsonville Food Cupboard (740) 753-3810

The Plains Volunteer Fire Department (740) 797-2911

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DUI Program

It is the mission of the Athens County DUI Program to provide management and treatment to repeat DUI offenders in an effort to recognize and correct their problematic behavior, as well as reduce the risk they pose to the safety of the community. The opportunity for change is afforded through regular appearance before the judiciary, supervised treatment, mandatory periodic drug/alcohol testing, and the use of graduated sanctions and rehab servcies.

Participation in the one year probation program is an alternative to an extended jail sentence. Probationers are monitored closely and are required to attend substance abuse counseling regularly. Violations, including alcohol or drug use or missed appointments, result in prompt sanctions. Our program is the second such program in Ohio, designed on a national model shown to provide a long term solution to the program of repeat offenders.

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Intensive Probation Program

In response to the jail overcrowding problem the Athens County Municipal Court has established an Intensive Probation Program. The Program targets high risk misdemeanor offenders who have a history of alcohol and/or drug abuse and lack of job training. It is used as a means of closely monitoring offenders who could benefit from treatment rather than incarceration. This program targets 50 offenders over the course of six months and supervises their progress through treatment, job training, and the mandatory 100 hours of community service. The offender will meet with the Probation Officer on a weekly basis to update their advancement through the court ordered program. He/she will be responsible for making appointments with drug and alcohol counselors, paying their fines and restitution, and setting up community service at a local non-profit organization. the Court often suspends major jail sentences and fines if the client agrees to participate and successfully completes the program. Sanctions for not successfully completing the program are imposing any and all of the suspended jail and fines the client agreed to once they entered the program. The Intensive Probation Program is funded through a State grant and currently consists of two probation officers.

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Substance Abuse Mentally Ill (SAMI) Program

The Athens County Court SAMI (Substance Abusing Mentally Ill) Court Program is a treatment based program designed to divert individuals from jail who incur misdemeanor level charges and have serious and chronic mental illness as well as substance abuse diagnosis. The Program is voluntary but requires that participants enter a plea of guilty or no contest, be sentenced and then follow through with the program are provided through Tri-County Mental Health and Counseling Services, Inc. and include psychological assessment, individual and group counseling, and case management services. The Athens County Municipal Court provides supervision and court monitoring of treatment through the services of a dedicated probation officer. The SAMI Court Program exists as a result of a partnership formed among several community stakeholders in an effort to better serve the member of our community who live with a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance addiction. The partners of our collaboration include the court, the local mental health treatment provider, local law enforcement agencies, the local Public Defender’s office, the city and county prosecutors and the local Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board.

The Athens County Municipal Court Early Intervention Screening Program

The Early Intervention Screening Program is designed to detect mental health issues in underage individuals charged multiple times with alcohol related offenses with the underlying premise being that these individuals may be at risk for developing mental health problems, substance abuse problems or both. The screening is an informal mental health and substance abuse assessment designed to detect whether further assessment is warranted. Individuals who are ordered to participate in the screening process meet with a qualified mental health professional who conducts the assessment and makes recommendations for treatment, if necessary. The goal of the Early Intervention Screening Program is to link individuals to appropriate treatment and reduce the possibility of charges in the future related to either mental health symptoms or substance abuse issues or both.

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