Magistrates are non-elected judicial officers appointed by judges to handle certain civil and criminal cases. They conduct proceedings just as a judge would, but certain decisions of the magistrate are not final or effective until they are reviewed and adopted by a judge. Magistrates also assist the judges with legal research, writing opinions and drafting entries, as needed.

The magistrates of the Cleveland Municipal Court handle several different types of dockets. These include:

• Small claims, including mediation
• Traffic arraignment
• Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV)  suspension appeals and limited driving privileges
• Pre- and post- judgment motions
• Default judgment evidentiary hearings
• Bond forfeiture
• Garnishment
• Parking Violations Bureau Appeals
• Judges’ civil and criminal dockets, when assigned