Supreme Court of Ohio Information

The Supreme Court of Ohio is the court of last resort in Ohio. Most of its cases are appeals from the 12 district courts of appeals. The Court may grant leave to appeal felony cases from the courts of appeals and may direct a court of appeals to certify its record in any civil or misdemeanor case that the Court finds to be "of public or great general interest." The Supreme Court also has appellate jurisdiction in cases involving questions arising under the Ohio or United States Constitutions, cases originating in the courts of appeals, and cases in which there have been conflicting opinions on the same question from two or more courts of appeals. The Supreme Court hears all cases in which the death penalty has been imposed. Finally, the Supreme Court's appellate jurisdiction extends to review of the actions of certain administrative agencies. The Court, acting through the chief justice and the justices, also possesses constitutional and statutory authority to exercise general powers of superintendence over the courts of the state. This includes responsibility for providing leadership for the judicial branch of Ohio government.