OHIO COURTS

 Court Structure in the State of Ohio

 Chief Supreme Court Chief Justice and six Justices

Original jurisdiction in select cases; court of last resort on state constitutional questions and questions of public or great general interest; appeals from Board of Tax Appeals, Public Utilities Commission and death penalty cases.

Courts of Appeals Twelve Districts, three-Judge Panels

Appellate review of judgments of common pleas, municipal and county courts; appeals from Board of Tax Appeals; original jurisdiction in select cases.

Courts of Common Pleas in each of 88 Counties

• General Division Civil and criminal cases; appeals from most administrative agencies.
• Domestic Relations Division Divorces and dissolutions; support and custody of  children
• Juvenile Division Offenses involving minors; most paternity actions.
• Probate Division Decedents’ estates; mental illness; adoptions; marriage licenses.

Municipal and County Courts

Misdemeanor offenses; traffic cases; civil action up to $15,000.

Court of Claims

Judges Assigned by the Chief Justice, Allsuits against the state for personalinjury, property damage, contract andwrongful death; compensation for victimsof crime. Three-judge panels upon request.

 Mayor’s Courts

Not courts of record.Violations of local ordinances and state traffic laws. Matters can be reheard in municipal or county courts.

For more information on the structure of Ohio Courts from the Court Statistics Project. Diagram of Ohio Courts