The judges of Medina County, Ohio sit across four divisions of the Court of Common Pleas and two municipal courts. Judges William F. Hutson and James L. Kimbler handle felony and major civil cases in the General Division. Judge Julie A. Schafer presides over Domestic Relations. Judge Kevin W. Dunn runs both the Probate Court and the Juvenile Court. Judge Gary F. Werner sits in Medina Municipal Court, and Judge Susana B. Lewis sits in Wadsworth Municipal Court. Appeals from any of them go to the Ninth District Court of Appeals in Akron. Every one of these judges is elected by county voters on a nonpartisan ballot to a six-year term.
General Division of the Court of Common Pleas
Ohio law authorizes three common pleas judges for Medina County, and two of those seats make up the General Division.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2301.02 – Number of Judges Judge Hutson and Judge Kimbler split the docket between courtrooms 3A and 3B.
This is the county’s highest trial court. All felony criminal cases start here, from arraignment through sentencing, and the judges also oversee grand jury proceedings. Felony prison terms under Ohio law run from six months for a fifth-degree offense up to life for the most serious first-degree crimes.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2929.14 – Definite Prison Terms
On the civil side, the General Division has broad authority over lawsuits that exceed the municipal courts’ monetary limits.3Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2305.01 – Jurisdiction in Civil Cases – Trial Transfer Practically, that means disputes over more than $15,000, though it shares jurisdiction with the municipal courts below that threshold. Personal injury suits, contract fights, and real estate litigation make up much of the civil docket, and the judges can issue injunctions and other emergency orders.
Domestic Relations Division
The third common pleas seat is dedicated to domestic relations. Judge Julie A. Schafer was elected to a full six-year term in November 2024. State law assigns this judge every divorce, dissolution, legal separation, and annulment filed in the county, along with child support, custody, parenting time, and visitation matters.4Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2301 – Organization
The division also handles what comes after the decree: dividing a marital home or retirement account, setting the support amount, and modifying custody when circumstances change. If you need to enforce a visitation schedule or change an existing support order, the request goes back to this same court rather than starting over elsewhere. The statute also charges the division with offering counseling and conciliation services to families, whether or not a case is pending.
Probate and Juvenile Court
Judge Kevin W. Dunn has presided over both the Probate Court and the Juvenile Court since 2013. Ohio law provides for a separately elected probate judge in each county, serving a six-year term.5Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2101.02 – Judge of Probate Division – Election – Term
Probate matters
The probate side admits wills to record, oversees estate administration, appoints and removes guardians and conservators, and grants marriage licenses.6Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2101.24 – Jurisdiction of Probate Court Guardianship of an adult who can no longer manage personal affairs runs through this court. So do name changes, adoptions, and petitions to sell real property held by an estate.
Juvenile matters
The juvenile side has exclusive jurisdiction over delinquency cases, where a minor is accused of conduct that would be a crime for an adult, and over unruly behavior charges.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 2151 – Juvenile Court Dependency, neglect, and abuse cases are also heard here, often with a guardian ad litem appointed to investigate the child’s situation and recommend what serves the child’s best interests. The court can also direct a parent or guardian to participate in treatment or services as part of a case involving their child.
Medina and Wadsworth Municipal Courts
Two municipal courts operate inside the county, one in Medina and one in Wadsworth.8Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 1901.01 – Organization of Municipal Courts Judge Gary F. Werner sits in Medina. Judge Susana B. Lewis sits in Wadsworth.
These courts hear misdemeanor criminal cases, which carry a maximum jail term of 180 days for a first-degree misdemeanor.9Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 2929.24 – Definite Jail Terms for Misdemeanors Traffic cases, from speeding tickets to OVI charges, fill much of the daily calendar. On the civil side, municipal courts handle disputes up to $15,000, with small claims capped at $6,000. Eviction cases are filed here, and these judges can also issue temporary protection orders for residents facing domestic violence or stalking. For most people in the county, a municipal courtroom is the only courtroom they’ll see.
Where Appeals Go
If you lose in any Medina County court, your appeal goes to the Ninth District Court of Appeals, based in Akron. The Ninth District has four judges: Presiding Judge Jennifer Hensal, Administrative Judge Jill Flagg Lanzinger, Judge Betty Sutton, and Judge Scot Stevenson. A three-judge panel decides each appeal by reviewing the trial court record for legal errors; the panel does not retry the facts. Appeal paperwork is filed through the Medina County Clerk of Courts rather than directly with the appellate court.
How These Judges Reach the Bench
Every Medina County judge is elected by county voters on a nonpartisan ballot, so no party label appears next to a candidate’s name.10Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 3505.04 – Nonpartisan Ballot Common pleas judges serve terms of at least six years and must live in the county while in office.11Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Constitution Article IV Section 6 – Election of Judges; Compensation No one can be elected or appointed to a judicial office if they will have reached age 70 by the time they would take the bench. Ohio also requires candidates to have practiced law in the state for a minimum period before taking office.
If You Have a Problem With a Judge
First, decide what the problem is. If you disagree with a ruling, that is an appeal, and the Ninth District Court of Appeals is the path. If you believe a judge acted unethically, that is a disciplinary matter, and the Ohio Supreme Court’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel handles complaints alleging misconduct under the Code of Judicial Conduct.12Supreme Court of Ohio. Complaints About Attorneys and Judges The two tracks are separate; filing one does not substitute for the other. Every Ohio judge is bound by that Code, which requires upholding the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary and avoiding even the appearance of impropriety.13Supreme Court of Ohio. Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct