City of Garfield Heights v. Stefaniuk

Appellant, Thomas Stefaniuk, appeals an order of the Garfield Heights Municipal Court finding him in contempt and an order denying his motion to mitigate sentence. For the following reasons, we reverse and remand.

Appellant pleaded no contest to driving without a valid license, speeding, and failure to wear a seat belt. As part of the plea bargain, $700 of fines and one hundred eighty days in jail were suspended, and appellant was order to do forty hours of community service.

Appellant appeared at trial without counsel. The journal entry of conviction and sentence was on a printed form. The…