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To find courts, Nationwide, click here The
Ohio trial court system consists of Courts of Common
Pleas, County Courts, Municipal Courts,
Mayor's Courts, and The Court of Claims. Ohio
Courts of Common Pleas
The
Courts of Common Pleas have general jurisdiction over all
civil and criminal cases, but generally only handles cases
that are beyond the jurisdiction of other courts.Courts of Common Pleas have separate divisions for general, domestic relations, juvenile and probate cases. The General division in a Court of Common Pleas handles civil cases, criminal cases, and appeals from most administrative agencies. The Domestic Relations division handles cases that include divorce, child custody and child support. The Juvenile division handles cases that include offenses involving minors and most paternity cases. The Probate division handles cases that include wills, estates, trusts, guardianships, mental illness and adoptions. Ohio
County Courts
County
Courts have jurisdiction over certain types of civil
and criminal cases.Criminal cases heard by County Courts include misdemeanors, felony preliminary hearings, most violations of township resolutions and some vehicle parking cases. Civil cases heard by County Courts include most general civil claims for less than $15,000. County Courts have exclusive original jurisdiction for cases involving less than $500 dollars, and original jurisdiction in cases where no party seeks more than $15,000. Civil cases typically heard by County Courts include actions for the recovery of money or personal property, contract cases, certain collection actions, interpleader, replevin, forcible entry and detainer, and certain nuisance cases. County Courts may handle certain types of cases that involve title or boundaries of real property. County Courts share some jurisdiction with the Mayor's Court over violations of municipal ordinances and criminal traffic cases. Ohio
Municipal Courts
Municipal
Courts have jurisdiction over certain types of civil
and criminal cases that may vary by court.Criminal and quasi-criminal cases heard by Municipal Courts include criminal violations of township resolutions, violations of municipal ordinances, some parking violations and any misdemeanor crime committed within its territory. Municipal Courts also handle preliminary hearings in felony criminal cases. Civil cases heard by Municipal Courts include most general civil claims for less than $15,000. Cases typically heard by Municipal Courts include actions for the recovery of money or personal property, contract cases, certain collection actions, interpleader, replevin, forcible entry and detainer, and certain public nuisance cases. Municipal Courts also handle civil ordinance violations and certain temporary protection orders. Some Municipal Courts have Housing or Environmental divisions. These specialized divisions may hear some criminal cases and civil jurisdiction is not subject to financial limits. Environmental and Housing divisions of Municipal Courts also have greater jurisdiction over certain types of cases, including exclusive jurisdiction in some civil actions related to healthy and safety codes, ordinances and regulations. Ohio
Mayor's Courts
Mayor's
Courts have jurisdiction over certain types of civil
and criminal cases.Criminal and quasi-criminal cases heard by Mayor's Courts includes violations of municipal ordinances, some parking violations and some criminal traffic cases. Civil cases are heard in the Small Claims division, which has jurisdiction over most general civil claims for less than $3,000, exclusive of interest and costs. Ohio
The Court of Claims
The
Ohio Court of Claims has original jurisdiction over
civil cases against the State of Ohio and its agencies.
Cases handled by the Court of Claims include contract disputes, property damage, personal injury, discrimination and wrongful imprisonment. The Court of Claims has a simplified administrative procedure for claims seeking less than $2,500. Claims related to the Victims of Crime Act are first heard by a panel of commissioners and can be appealed to the judge of the Court of Claims. The Court of Claims handles cases for the entire state from one location in Columbus. Ohio
Court Notes
In
several counties, the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas
is also the clerk for the County Courts and Municipal Courts.Some counties have established specialized divisions in various courts,including Drug Courts, Mental Health Courts and Diversion programs. Where
to find court cases in Ohio
The
chart below gives general information on the types of cases
heard in each type of court in Ohio.
The
chart below gives general information on the types of cases
heard in each type of court in Ohio.
COUNTY COURTS IN OHIO
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Most or all cases. 