The Lima Municipal Court has been using it for just over a year and says it’s working the way the Ohio Supreme Court intended it to.
Pretrial Release came from Rule 46 which went into law in July of 2020. It’s a process that allows judges to release individuals that have been arrested for mostly misdemeanor offenses before their pretrial. Lima municipal Judge Tammie Hursh speaking to the Lima Kiwanis Club explained that most cases have a tie with drugs, alcohol, and some violence where the judge now has the authority to order treatment in a mental health and addiction service program if appropriate.
Lima Municipal Court Judge Tammie Hursh explains, “They investigate the person's history and try to get as much information as they can even before they appear in court, so we can make better and adequate decisions regarding their release.”
Hursh says this follows Rule 46 which gives them a list of requirements to be followed for release and helps individuals keep their families and jobs. She says they use it on a regular basis and those that get “Pretrial Release” must report to an officer of the court.
