The judiciary of Ohio is the branch of the government of Ohio that interprets and applies the law of Ohio, ensures equal justice under law, and provides a mechanism for dispute resolution. The court of last resort is the Ohio Supreme Court.

Courts

There are three levels of the Ohio state judiciary. The lowest level is the courts of common pleas, the intermediate-level courts are the district courts of appeals, and the highest-ranking court is the Ohio Supreme Court. Ohio municipal and county courts hear cases involving traffic violations, non-traffic

misdemeanor A misdemeanor (American English, spelled misdemeanour elsewhere) is any "lesser" criminal act in some common law legal systems. Misdemeanors are generally punished less severely than more serious felonies, but theoretically more so than adm ...

s, evictions and small civil claims (in which the amount in controversy does not exceed than $15,000), and also conduct preliminary hearings in felony cases.

Ohio mayor's courts Ohio Mayor's Courts are state courts in Ohio created by some municipalities. The Mayor's Courts hear traffic cases, violations of city ordinances and other misdemeanors. The presiding officer is a magistrate (not a judge) appointed by the mayor ...

are created by some municipalities and hear cases involving traffic violations, violations of city ordinances, and other misdemeanors.

Supreme Court

The highest-ranking court, the Ohio Supreme Court, is Ohio's "court of last resort." A seven-justice panel composes the court, which, by its own discretion, hears appeals from the courts of appeals, and retains original jurisdiction over limited matters.

District courts of appeals

The intermediate-level courts are the Ohio district courts of appeals. Twelve courts of appeals exist, each retaining jurisdiction over appeals from common pleas, municipal, and county courts in a set geographical area. A case heard in this system is decided by a three-judge panel, and each judge is elected.

Courts of common pleas

The

Ohio Courts of Common Pleas Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

are the courts of

general jurisdiction {{Globalize, article, USA, 2name=the United States, date=December 2010 A court of general jurisdiction is a court with authority to hear cases of all kinds – criminal, civil, family, probate, and so forth. United States All federal courts ar ...

and have jurisdiction over "all justiciable matters". Each county is constitutionally mandated to maintain a court of common pleas.

Constitution of Ohio The Constitution of the State of Ohio is the basic governing document of the State of Ohio, which in 1803 became the 17th state to join the United States of America. Ohio has had three constitutions since statehood was granted. Ohio was created ...

, Part 4, Section 4

Municipal and county courts

Ohio municipal and county courts are courts of

limited jurisdiction Limited jurisdiction, or special jurisdiction, is the court's jurisdiction only on certain types of cases such as bankruptcy, and family matters. Courts of limited jurisdiction, as opposed to general jurisdiction, derive power from an issuing autho ...

and

courts of record A court of record is a trial court or appellate court in which a record of the proceedings is captured and preserved, for the possibility of appeal. A court clerk or a court reporter takes down a record of oral proceedings. That written record ( ...

created by the General Assembly. They hear cases involving traffic violations, non-traffic

s, evictions and small civil claims (in which the amount in controversy does not exceed than $15,000), and also conduct

preliminary hearing Within some criminal justice, criminal justice systems, a preliminary hearing, preliminary examination, preliminary inquiry, evidentiary hearing or probable cause hearing is a proceeding, after a criminal complaint has been filed by the prosecuto ...

s in

felony A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...

cases.

Mayor's courts

are created by some municipalities and hear cases involving traffic violations, violations of city ordinances, and other misdemeanors. Mayor's courts are not considered

trial court A trial court or court of first instance is a court having original jurisdiction, in which trials take place. Appeals from the decisions of trial courts are usually made by higher courts with the power of appellate review (appellate courts). Mos ...

s or

and are not subject to the supervision of the Ohio Supreme Court, nor are mayor's courts authorized to conduct

jury trial A jury trial, or trial by jury, is a Trial, legal proceeding in which a jury makes a decision or Question of law, findings of fact. It is distinguished from a bench trial in which a judge or Judicial panel, panel of judges makes all decisions. ...

s. The presiding officer is a

magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...

(not a

judge A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility an ...

) appointed by the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

and paid by the city or village.

Court of Claims

The

Ohio Court of Claims The Ohio Court of Claims is a court of limited, statewide jurisdiction. The court's jurisdiction extends to cases: #Against the State of Ohio, in which the state has waived sovereign immunity #Connected to suits against the State of Ohio where Pla ...

is a court of limited, statewide jurisdiction. The court's jurisdiction extends to matters in which the State of

Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...

is a party and the state has waived its sovereign immunity by statute, and also hears appeals from decisions made by the

Ohio Attorney General The Ohio Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the U.S. state, State of Ohio in the United States. The office is filled by general election, held every four years. The Ohio Attorney General is Republican Dave Yost. History The office ...

on claims allowed under the Victims of Crime Act.

Officers

Judges

Judges in Ohio are generally elected, except for the Court of Claims, for which judges sit by assignment of the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. When there are temporary vacancies in elected judgeships, those vacancies are also filled by assignment by the chief justice.

References

External links

Supreme Court of Ohio

District Courts of Appeals

Courts of Common Pleas
{{Judiciaries of the United States