dayton municipal court Judges

The Dayton Municipal Court has five elected judges who spend about 40% of their time in court presiding over felony preliminary hearings, in-jail arraignments, and civil cases. These proceedings are cases not officially assigned to each judge’s docket, but must be handled in the course of regular, daily court business. Criminal, traffic and civil cases that are officially assigned to each judge result in a yearly annual average of 1,462 guilty pleas at the pretrial or trial stage, 784 dismissals or other terminations, 398 failure to appear warrants, and 94 trials both by the court or jury. Beyond these reported activities, judges hear default civil cases and preside over probation hearings, motions to suppress, and hundreds of other issues raised by written motions. In addition to time spent in court, each judge must schedule office meetings, conference calls with attorneys and conduct legal research necessary for decisions. The demands of public appearances and service on numerous community and criminal justice boards must also be scheduled into the judge’s calendar.

Dayton Municipal Court Judges

Judge Bill Littlejohn, Judge John Pickrel, Judge Carl Henderson,
Judge Daniel Gehres, Judge Dennis Greaney


sidebar content

Judge Littlejohn

Judge Bill Littlejohn received his B.S. from Central State University in1969 and his J.D. from Ohio Northern University in 1972.

He was a Commissioned Officer, U.S. Army, 1969 and is a Licensed Realtor.

His service to the community includes: Assistant Montgomery County Public Defender, 1974-1975; Assistant City of Dayton Prosecutor, 1975-1976; Private Practice, 1976-1991; Referee - Dayton Municipal Court, 1979-1980; Former Christian Education Director at his Church; Habitat for Humanity, 1993-Present; MVCTC Certificates in plumbing, electricity, carpentry, masonry and cooling; Student, Payne Theological Seminar.

Judge Pickrel

Judge John Pickrel has been the Presiding Judge of the Dayton Municipal Court since 1991 and continues that role through the present. Judge Pickrel received his B.A. from the University of Dayton in 1967 and his J.D. from The Ohio State University in 1970.

Since its beginning in 2003, he has presided over the Mental Health Docket.

His service to the community includes: the Legal Aid Society/Model Cities Legal Services, 1970-1975; Staff Attorney, Montgomery County Public Defender, 1975-1977; Private Practice, 1977-1984; Board Member, Dayton Volunteer Lawyers Project, 1989-Present; Member Criminal Justice Council of Montgomery County, 1990-Present; Municipal and County Court Judges Association of Ohio, Member 1984-Present, Trustee 1991-Present, President 2002-2003; Member, Dayton and Ohio State Bar Associations.

Judge Henderson

Judge Carl Henderson has been the Administrative Judge from 2006 to the present.

He received his B.S. from Wright State University in 1979 and J.D. from Howard University School of Law in 1982. He presides over the Safe Neighborhoods Docket and was a Magistrate, Dayton Municipal Court from 1991 to 2003.

His service to the community includes: Assistant Prosecutor, Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office, 1985-1991; Private Practice Attorney, 1986-1991, Red Cross Emergency Housing Board, Present; Wright Dunbar Area Credit Union, Present; Corinthian Baptist Church Trustee Board, Present; Member Ohio Municipal and County Judges Association; Member Dayton and Ohio Bar Associations; Dayton Bar Association Board of Trustees.

Judge Gehres

Judge Daniel Gehres received his B.S. from Manchester College in 1975 and his J.D. from the University of Dayton in 1978.

Judge Gehres has served as the Recovery Now Docket Judge from 2005 to the present.
He served as Assistant Attorney General, State of Ohio, 1978-1982 and in Private Practice, 1981-1988.

His service to the community includes: Board Member, Dayton S.A.Y. Soccer Board, 1993-Present; Board Member, Miami Valley North S.A.Y. Soccer, 2002.

Judge Greaney

Judge Dennis Greaney received his B.A. from the University of Dayton in 1969 and his J.D. from the University of Dayton in 1978.

He presided over the Housing Docket in 2007.

His service to the community includes: Private Practice, 1978 - 1987; Dayton Municipal Court, Senior Magistrate, 1987 - 2005; Teacher, Ohio Judicial College; Member of Municipal and County Judges Association of Ohio, 2006 - Present; Former member St. Joseph Children’s Treatment Center, Board of Trustees; Former member Dayton Mental Health Citizen’s Advisory Board; Member Dayton Bar, Ohio State Bar Association, American Judges Association.

 

important numbers:

Clerk of Court:
937-333-4300

Court Administration:
937-333-4338
FAX: 937-333-4494

Central Payments:
937-333-4302
FAX: 937-333-4468

Civil Division:
937-333-4471
FAX: 937-333-4468

Criminal Division:
937-333-4315
FAX: 937-333-4490

Traffic Division:
937-333-4310
FAX: 937-333-7588

Jury Information:
937-333-4448
FAX: 937-333-4468

Probation Services:
937-333-4375

Warrant Enforcement:
937-333-4339