Ohio has a rich history and culture, but did you know that it also has a fascinating and complex court system? Ohio’s courts are divided into three levels: trial courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court of Ohio. Each has its own functions, jurisdictions, and procedures. Here are some fun facts about the Ohio courts that you may not know:

– Ohio has 88 trial courts and 244 judges. Some counties have more than one type of trial court, such as municipal, county, common pleas, or claims courts.

• • Municipal and county courts manage civil cases with claims up to $15,000 and criminal cases involving misdemeanors.
  • Common pleas courts manage civil cases with claims over $15,000 and criminal cases involving felonies.
  • Claims courts handle civil cases filed against the state of Ohio or appeals of claims for compensation by crime victims¹.

– Ohio has 12 appellate districts, each with a court of appeals. There are 4 to 12 judges in each appellate district. The court of appeals manages both civil and criminal matters.  The largest appellate district is the Eighth District, which covers only Cuyahoga County home to our state capital Cleveland. The smallest appellate district is the Fourth District down is southern Ohio, which covers 14 counties².

– The Supreme Court of Ohio is the highest court in the state.

• • It consists of 7 justices.
  • Justices are elected for six-year terms.
  • The chief justice is chosen by the voters for a separate term.

The Supreme Court hears appeals and has jurisdiction over certain cases, such as challenges to the constitutionality of laws².

The Supreme Court of Ohio has a mascot named Ollie the Owl. Ollie’s name stands for “Ohio Law Learning Initiative Experience”. Ollie is a plush toy that travels with the justices while visiting schools and communities and helps to educate the public about the role and function of the courts. Ollie was created in 2003 by a group of fourth-graders from Columbus who won a contest to design a mascot for the court (3).

These are just some of the fun facts about the Ohio courts that you may not know. If you want to learn more about the Ohio courts, you can visit their official website². You can also find information about court records, case search, and online services on various websites³. The Ohio courts are an important part of the state’s government and society, and they have a lot to offer to anyone who is interested in learning more about them.

Source: 

(1) Law Facts: Ohio’s Courts | OSBA – ohiobar.org https://www.ohiobar.org/public-resources/commonly-asked-law-questions-results/law-facts/law-facts-ohios-courts/

(2) Ohio Courts https://ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/site/government/resources/ohio-courts

 (3) Ohio Court Case Lookup | StateRecords.org. https://ohio.staterecords.org/casesearch

Ohio Court Records Lookup – OH Court Case Search. Info ontypes of courts in Ohio.  https://courtcasefinder.com/ohio