People in and around Oxford — including Miami University students — will soon have to travel a lot further to get to county court appearances. Prosecutor Michael Gmoser says Butler County Area 1 Court is relocating its court proceedings and offices to Hamilton.
"This relocation effort will not be without challenges for the uninformed, so it is imperative to assist the transition with the many transportation details available. The primary users of the Area I Court are Miami University students, residents of the City of Oxford and its contiguous townships," Gmoser writes in a letter to local officials announcing the move.
The letter says the move is expected to take place on or shortly after March 31.
The court currently operates out of the Oxford Courthouse on High Street. Its new location will be in the former Hamilton Municipal Court at the Government Services Center in Hamilton.
The letter doesn't list a reason for the move, but Gmoser tells WVXU there are several factors. He says the move will save the county money, and it's something he's wanted to do for a long time but there wasn't space for the court in Hamilton until now. The Hamilton Municipal Court is moving to the Hamilton Justice Center, freeing up its old courtroom at the Government Services Center.
It does outline several ways residents and students can get to the new court location, including BCRTA bus routes and BGo, a service similar to Uber or Lyft.
According to the Journal-News, the majority of cases heard in Area 1 court involved Miami University students. The news outlet previously reported Area 1 also has the lowest case count of the Butler County Area Courts' three locations.
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