JUDGES’ RESPONSIBILITIES
Judge Lindeman and Judge Welbaum took an oath upon being sworn into office “to administer justice without respect to persons and faithfully and impartially to discharge and perform all duties incumbent on him/her as such judge. . . “
JUDGES’ DUTIES
The common pleas court is the creation of the Ohio Constitution. It has general jurisdiction and limited appellate jurisdiction to review the orders of administrative agencies. In all but seven Ohio counties, some of the broad general jurisdiction of the general division of the common pleas court is assigned to various subject matter divisions such as juvenile, probate, domestic relations, and family court. These divisions are defined by statute and exist in various combinations depending on the size, needs and history of each county. However, all Ohio counties have a general division common pleas court.
In Miami County, the Common Pleas Court is divided into two divisions. Those are General Division and Juvenile-Probate Division. The duties of the general division of the common pleas court in Miami County include civil cases, domestic relations cases, and criminal felony cases. Judge Robert J. Lindeman and Judge Jeffrey M. Welbaum are the Judges of the General Division of the Common Pleas Court in Miami County.
OTHER DUTIES
In alternative years, Judge Lindeman and Judge Welbaum are appointed as the Administrative Judge of the General Division. The Administrative Judge is responsible for the budget, payroll, and employment or contract supervision of thirteen employees. During that time the judge must oversee the Felony Intensive Supervision Probation department, the administrative staff of the Adult Parole Authority, the Jury Commissioner, the Meditation Coordinator, and the support staff of the judges and the magistrates.
Other duties for both judges includes reporting and accounting of the cases heard and decided by the general division to the Ohio Supreme Court each month and at the end of the year. One judge is assigned to the Miami County Criminal Justice Advisory Board, which meets quarterly. In alternative years, the judge who is not appointed Administrative Judge has the duty of conducting “Drug Court.” Drug Court involves hearings held bi-weekly, where drug addicted felons are brought before the judge for strict accountability toward the successful completion of recovery. For more information on this subject select the heading “Drug Court” in this web site.
The judges are periodically assigned by the Supreme Court to hear cases in other Ohio counties when needed to avoid an actual or perceived conflict of interest concerning the judge in the foreign county. Ordinarily this happens when the Judge is closely acquainted with one of the parties to the extent that the Judge or a party questions the judges’s ability to be impartial. Likewise, when a potential conflict of interest situation occurs in Miami County, Judges Lindeman and Welbaum request the Ohio Supreme Court to assign a judge from another county to hear the case. Our judges reciprocate by accepting assignments to serve as visiting judges in other counties when needed. |