Court Officials

Judge Brian J. Melling

A Bedford High School graduate, Judge Melling received his B.A. from Mount Union College, and his Juris Doctorate from Ohio Northern University School of Law in 1974.

Entering private practice in 1974, Judge Melling became the Bedford City Prosecutor in 1975. In 1976 Judge Melling was appointed the Bedford City Law Director, and he served as such until his election to the Bench of the Bedford Municipal Court in 2000. Judge Melling also served as the Assistant Law Director for the City of Solon from 1989-1997. Judge Melling was also appointed to serve as an Acting Judge of the Bedford Municipal Court in 1992.

Judge Melling is active in community activities, including Bedford Historical Society, 1983-present; Trustee, Community Hospital of Bedford, 1983-1993 (Chairman of the Board 1991-1993; Vice Chairman 1989-1991; Finance Chairman 1987-1991); Bedford Kiwanis Club, 1980-2000; and the Ohio Municipal League, 1985-2000.

Judge Melling is also a member of numerous organizations, including Ohio State Bar Association, 1974-present; Northeast Ohio Municipal Judges Association, 2000-present; Ohio Municipal League-Joint Self Insurance Pool-Trustee, July 1993 to Jan. 1, 2000; Ohio Municipal Attorney Association, 1990-2000.

An avid football fan, Judge Melling and his wife Phyllis reside in Solon.

Judge Michelle L. Paris

Michelle L. Paris was elected Judge of Bedford Municipal Court in November 2015. Prior to that, she served as a magistrate and chief magistrate in Cleveland Municipal Court from Jan. 1988 to May 2008.

Thereafter, she continued to serve as a visiting magistrate. Judge Paris was also an adjunct professor at Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and Case Western Reserve School of Law teaching debtor- creditor rights. Judge Paris is currently a regular presenter for the Ohio Judicial College.

Judge Paris graduated from Regina High School, Ohio University with a degree in education and Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Judge Paris is past president and honorary trustee of the Cleveland- Marshall College of Law Alumni Association. She is currently on the Board of Trustees for the Association of Municipal and County Court Judges and is vice president of the Northeast Ohio Judges Association.

Judge Paris was recently inducted into the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law Hall of Fame. She is a member of various legal organizations and civic groups: Bedford Historical Society, Solon Historical Society, Ohio State Bar Association, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, Ohio Association of Magistrates and Justinian Forum.

Magistrates

Bedford Municipal Court employs Magistrates to conduct certain hearings. A Magistrate is a licensed attorney who has been practicing for several years. A Magistrate typically hears cases such as small claims, evictions, post-judgment execution, traffic and pre-trials for both civil and criminal cases.

• Brian P. Downey
• Robert T. Glickman
• Barbara C. Greenberg
• Randolph Howard
• Nicholas A. Papa
• Joseph A. Pfundstein
• Sherry A. Pidala
• Vince Ruffa

In certain cases, such as small claims and evictions cases, the Magistrates will render a decision. In the event that you feel the Magistrate's decision is in error, you may file objections. Objections to a Magistrate's decision must be made in writing and filed with the Court within fourteen days of the filing of the decision. Any pleading must be served upon the other side, and must also comply with local court rules and the Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure. If you have questions about these requirements, you should consult an attorney.

Clerk of Courts

The Clerk of Courts is responsible for general oversight of the day to day functioning of the Clerk’s office, and other responsibilities designated by the Ohio Revised Code. The Clerk’s office is broken down into the criminal division, civil division, and administerial functions such as bookkeeping and record keeping. Generally a Clerk of Courts will delegate certain functions, such as accepting filings, processing cases and updating files to a deputy clerk.

A Clerk of Courts may be elected or appointed by the Court depending on the population of the jurisdiction served by the Court. Based on population of the 14 jurisdictions served by the Bedford Municipal Court, Thomas E. Day, Jr. has been appointed by the Court to serve as Clerk.