Ohio § 1901.331

§ 1901.331.

(A)(1) Except as provided in divisions (A)(2) and (3) of this section, in those municipal

courts in which a housing or environmental division is established pursuant to section 1901.011 of the Revised Code , the judge of the division shall appoint a chief housing or environmental specialist,

may appoint one or more housing or environmental specialists and housing or environmental

division referees, and may appoint for the division any employee or officer whom the

judges of a municipal court can appoint pursuant to section 1901.32 or division (A) of section 1901.33 of the Revised Code . (2) For the housing division of the Toledo municipal court, the judges of the court shall

appoint a chief housing specialist, may appoint one or more housing specialists and

housing division referees, and may appoint any employee or officer whom the judges

can appoint pursuant to section 1901.32 or division (A) of section 1901.33 of the Revised Code . (3) For the environmental division of the Franklin county municipal court, the judges

of the court shall appoint a chief environmental specialist, may appoint one or more

environmental specialists and environmental division referees, and may appoint any

employee or officer whom the judges can appoint pursuant to section 1901.32 or division (A) of section 1901.33 of the Revised Code .  In lieu of, or in addition to, appointing environmental specialists, environmental

division referees, and other environmental division employees or officers to perform

duties only for that division, the judges of the court may appoint environmental specialists,

referees, and other employees and officers to perform duties for the environmental

division and the other divisions of the court, and the administrative judge of the

court may assign other referees, employees, and officers of the court to perform functions

for the environmental division. (4)(a) Except as otherwise provided in this division, the chief housing or environmental

specialist, housing or environmental specialists, housing or environmental division

referees, and other employees and officers of the housing or environmental division

of a municipal court shall receive the compensation that the legislative authority

prescribes, and shall be under the control of the judge of the division. (b) The chief environmental specialist, environmental specialists, environmental division

referees, and other employees and officers of the environmental division of the Franklin

county municipal court, during the time when they are performing duties for that division,

and any other referees, employees, and officers of the court, during the time when

they are performing duties for the environmental division pursuant to an assignment

by the administrative judge of the court, shall be under the control of the judge

of the environmental division. (B)(1) The chief housing or environmental specialist and housing or environmental specialists

of the housing or environmental division of a municipal court shall be knowledgeable

in the maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation of dwelling units and with respect

to federal, state, and municipal laws and ordinances that pertain to the maintenance,

repair, and rehabilitation of dwelling units.  Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, they shall provide expert assistance

to the division and the parties before the division in the areas of their qualifications,

perform mediation and field investigation services, and perform any other duties that

the judge of the division prescribes. (2) The chief environmental specialist and, during the time when they are performing

duties for the environmental division of the Franklin county municipal court, environmental

specialists shall provide expert assistance to the division and the parties before

the division in the areas of their qualifications, perform mediation and field investigation

services, and perform any other duties that the judge of the division prescribes.