Officer Burt Skeen of the Bellville PD acting as court bailiff explains the procedures to be followed in the mayor's court session about to begin in the town hall. Mayor Darrell E. Banks (lower right) ponders reference material from the Ohio Municipal League during an interview leading to the next court session.

MAYOR'S COURT--

There were five defendants that night.

Two involved alcohol in automobiles. One involved a vehicle accident. One involved an auto equipment violation. The last involved an angry father, two assaults, and a minor daughter's behavior; the type all loving fathers would find distressful.

To some people, Mayor's Courts are regarded with disdain. There are sometimes charges of inadequate judicial competency, or being the culmination of a town's speed trap. Occasionally, those are true.

But, that night in our Rockwellian small town, a court of the most basic jurisdiction functioned with compassionate, yet serious jurisprudence.

The defendant in the accident case felt wrongly charged and used photographs to support the pleading. Officer Skeen quietly and clearly helped with an understanding of a "no contest" plea versus a "not guilty" plea which would automatically boost the case to Mansfield's Municipal Court where legal counsel could be employed. The defendant chose the latter.

The accused's rights and dignity were thus preserved.

Both young people in the alcohol incidents "screwed up" to use common language. They knew it. They faced their consequences; one with a cold walk to a nearby ATM machine for fine money. The other with the mayor's quiet assurance village officials would be helpful in the event the violation had repercussions with job recruiting authorities.

The equipment violation involved bad brakes on a friend's borrowed car. Mayor Banks explained the driver always bore the responsibility for the vehicle under their control. The defendant understood and worried about satisfying the fine with installments. An agreement was reached with obvious relief.

The last case was the most serious. The mayor quietly explained that and the defendant knew it. The incident had some ingredients that could have led to a criminal conviction and jail time. That was thoroughly explored. Resolution involved a hefty fine and quiet contrition.

The mayor in this case preserved the court's dignity by concluding with the observation, "I'm also a father."

The defendant nodded and left quietly.

A defendant makes a pleading to officials of Bellville's Mayor's Court including from left Officer Skeen bailiff, Donna Livesay, Clerk of Court and Mayor Banks.