Each state establishes its own system, so there are many variations, but most state systems encompass the following:
Type of court | Function | The Ohio Court System |
Court of last resort (usually called the supreme court) | Deals with appeals from lower courts. Has discretion to decide which cases merit review. | The Ohio Supreme Court. |
Intermediate appellate courts | Deal with appeals concerning lower court decisions. | In Ohio the Courts of Appeals are divided into 13 districts. |
Trial courts | Trials at which evidence is heard, often in both criminal and civil cases |
Each county has a Court of Common Pleas (sometimes with specialized divisions by subject), which deals with criminal felony cases and civil cases over $500. The Court of Claims has statewide jurisdiction over civil cases against the state of Ohio and claims for compensation for crime victims. |
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