The Judiciary

The Ohio Constitution guarantees to all citizens certain basic rights. In the pursuit of these rights, disputes may arise — between individuals, between a person and the government, or between agencies of government. The judicial branch, or court system, is the arm of the government that provides a means to settle these disputes. The judiciary interprets the laws set forth by the Ohio Constitution or those enacted by the legislature. It is independent of both the executive and legislative branches in order to protect the legal rights of the people and guarantee equal protection under the law for everyone.

The Ohio Constitution established three courts to administer judicial powers: the Ohio Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, and the Court of Common Pleas. These three courts cannot be abolished except through amendment of the Ohio Constitution. In addition to these constitutional courts, the Ohio Constitution allows the legislature to create other courts to assist the Court of Common Pleas. These are called statutory courts because they can be created or abolished by the legislature. The legislature has established municipal courts, county courts, mayor’s courts, and the Ohio Court of Claims.