Plea Descriptions

In court, you will be required to enter one of the following pleas provided by the laws of the State of Ohio.

Not Guilty - The plea of Not Guilty indicates that you are contesting the facts as alleged in the complaint or ticket. If you plead Not Guilty on or before the court date assigned to you by the officer, your case will not be heard that day, but will be rescheduled for trial. Trials in the Westerville Mayor’s Court are scheduled each Wednesday and begin at 10:00 a.m. The presiding magistrate hears all trials. Mayor’s courts cannot conduct jury trials. At your trial, the officer who issued the citation or complaint will be subpoenaed into court to testify. You may also bring witnesses to testify on your behalf.

Guilty - The plea of Guilty is a complete admission of guilt.

No Contest - The plea of No Contest is not an admission of guilt, but is an admission of the truth of the facts alleged in the complaint or ticket and such admission cannot be used against you in any subsequent civil or criminal proceedings.