The Painesville Municipal Courthouse was originally built as the First Church of Christ Scientist’s Church. The building was completed in 1917 and the church owned the facility until they sold it to the City of Painesville in 1968.

Due to increased litigation from a higher number of car accidents on Buffalo Road (now known as Route 20), the Bar Association recommended that a Municipal Court be developed. Under the former Justice of the Peace, the Court had jurisdiction over the following areas: Painesville, Mentor, Perry, Concord, and Leroy Township. A few years after the development of the Municipal Court, Madison Township was added to the jurisdiction. The Municipal Court came into existence on September 1, 1927, and the first Judge was appointed by the Governor. The subsequent Judges were to be elected by popular vote. The Municipal Court replaced the Justice of the Peace and was located on the second floor of the City Hall. In 1942, the Municipal Court was moved to the new safety center.

Date Appointed	Judge
1927 - 1935	Marvin Halter
1935 - 1942	Charles P. Baker
1943 - 1964	Albert W. Hayer
1964 - 1975	Oliver R. Marshall
1976 - 1988	Gilbert T. Cave
1988 - 1989	Various Judges were appointed as visiting Judges by the Ohio Supreme Court
1989 - 1993	Neil R. Wilson
1994 - 9/22/2019	Michael A. Cicconetti
9/23/2019-9/30/2019	Assigned Judges by Supreme Court
10/1/2019-11/27/2019	James R. O'Leary
11/27/2019 - Current	Paul R. Malchesky

In 1927, the Municipal Court was granted a Clerk of Court. Responsibilities included swearing in jurors and managing all Court records. The Judge of the Painesville Municipal Court continues to appoint Clerks.

Date Appointed	Clerk
1927 - 1936	Ellen Lelend
1936 - 1941	Henry H. Scarsbrook
1941 - 1964	Lester Logan
1964 - 1969	Melvin Reed
1969 - 1976	Roy Pethtel
1976 - 1981	Michael A. Cicconetti
1981 - 1990	Patricia Mackey
1990 - 1993	Cynthia Baker
1994 - 2006	Debra Poe
2006 - 2020	Nicholas Cindric (first appointed Clerk of Court/Court Administrator
2020 - Current	Kristy McBride

Today the Painesville Municipal Court provides many of the same services that it did when it was established in 1927. In addition, the Court handles traffic and ordinance violations, small claims (less than $6,000.00), misdemeanors, civil, evictions, and preliminary hearings in felony cases. The Court has jurisdiction over the following areas: Concord Township, Fairport Harbor Village, Grand River Village, Leroy Township, Madison Township, Madison Village, North Perry Village, Painesville City, Painesville Township, Perry Township, and Perry Village.