It’s the 12 Days of Ballotpedia! Your gift powers the trusted, unbiased information voters need heading into 2026. Donate now!
Ohio District Courts of Appeals
The District Courts of Appeal are the intermediate appellate courts for the state of Ohio. The courts are established by Article IV, Section 1 of the Ohio Constitution, and their jurisdiction is outlined in Article IV, Section 3.[1]
Twelve districts make up the District Courts of Appeal, and each district is assigned a certain number of counties. The number of judges in each district varies by caseload and population, but each district has between four and 12 judges.[1]
Judges hear and decide cases in panels of three.[1]
Jurisdiction
The District Courts of Appeal primarily hear appeals from the Common Pleas, Municipal and County courts. They also have original jurisdiction to hear applications for writs of habeas corpus, mandamus, procedendo, prohibition and quo warranto.[1]
The 10th District, based in Franklin County, has special jurisdiction to hear appeals from the Ohio Court of Claims.[1]
Judicial districts
There are 12 judicial districts in Ohio.
| District | Counties served |
|---|---|
| First District | Hamilton County |
| Second District | Champaign, Clark, Darke, Greene, Miami and Montgomery Counties |
| Third District | Allen, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Logan, Marion, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Van Wert and Wyandot Counties |
| Fourth District | Adams, Athens, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton, and Washington Counties |
| Fifth District | Ashland, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Guernsey, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Richland, Stark and Tuscarawas Counties |
| Sixth District | Erie, Fulton, Huron, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Williams, and Wood Counties |
| Seventh District | Belmont, Carroll, Columbiana, Harrison, Jefferson, Mahoning, Monroe and Noble Counties |
| Eighth District | Cuyahoga County |
| Ninth District | Lorain, Medina, Summit and Wayne Counties |
| Tenth District | Franklin County |
| Eleventh District | Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage and Trumbull Counties |
| Twelfth District | Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Madison, Preble and Warren Counties |
Judges
First District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
February 11, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
November 6, 2016 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2025 - Present |
||
|
February 12, 2025 - Present |
Second District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
February 11, 2017 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 20, 2022 - Present |
Richard Michael DeWine |
|
|
February 9, 2025 - Present |
Third District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
February 9, 2017 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2007 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 11, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
Fourth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
1991 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 10, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
August 3, 2020 - Present |
Richard Michael DeWine |
Fifth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
February 1, 1991 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
April 27, 2013 - Present |
John Kasich |
|
|
February 9, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 10, 2025 - Present |
||
|
February 9, 2025 - Present |
||
|
February 11, 2025 - Present |
Sixth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
2007 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2017 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 10, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 10, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
Seventh District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
November 4, 2014 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 10, 1997 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
April 10, 2024 - Present |
Richard Michael DeWine |
Eighth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
February 9, 2003 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2011 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2005 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2013 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 2, 2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2015 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 11, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
December 19, 2022 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2011 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2006 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2025 - Present |
Elected |
Ninth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
1998 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2012 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 11, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
Tenth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
January 3, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 2, 2011 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
July 1, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 10, 2025 - Present |
Eleventh District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
2019 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
July 1, 2021 - Present |
Richard Michael DeWine |
|
|
February 9, 2023 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
June 5, 2023 - Present |
Richard Michael DeWine |
|
|
February 10, 2025 - Present |
Twelfth District
| Judge | Tenure | Appointed By |
|---|---|---|
|
February 9, 2009 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
October 4, 2012 - Present |
John Kasich |
|
|
2010 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
January 1, 2021 - Present |
Elected |
|
|
February 9, 2025 - Present |
Salary
- See also: Ohio court salaries and budgets
In 2025, the associate judges of the court received a salary of $178,108, according to the National Center for State Courts.[2]
Judicial selection
- See also: Judicial selection in Ohio
The judges of the Ohio District Courts of Appeal are selected through partisan primaries and partisan general elections. Previously, these judges were selected through partisan primaries and nonpartisan general elections, known as the Michigan method.[3][4] The number of judges on the court of appeals varies by district over time, based on district size and caseload. Each district has between four and 12 judges.[5]
All judges serve six-year terms, after which they are required to run for re-election if they wish to remain on the court. District courts of appeal candidates are chosen in their respective appellate districts.[6]
Qualifications
To serve on the Ohio District Courts of Appeals, a judge must:
- have at least six years in the practice of law;
- be licensed to practice law in the state for at least one year preceding appointment or commencement of the judge's term;
- a judge of a court of record in any jurisdiction in the U.S.; and
- be under the age of 70.[7]
Presiding judge
The manner in which the presiding judge is chosen for each appellate district varies among the districts.[8]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement. The appointee serves until the next general election taking place 40 or more days after the vacancy occurred. If re-elected, the judge serves the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term.[6]
Elections
To see election results, please visit the individual district pages. For details about Ohio's judicial elections, click here.
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2026
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2024
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2022
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2020
Ethics
The Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct sets forth ethical guidelines and principles for the conduct of judges and judicial candidates in Ohio. It consists of four overarching canons:
- Canon 1: "A judge shall uphold and promote the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety."
- Canon 2: "A judge shall perform the duties of judicial office impartially, competently, and diligently."
- Canon 3: "A judge shall conduct the judge’s personal and extrajudicial activities so as to minimize the risk of conflict with the obligations of judicial office."
- Canon 4: "A judge or judicial candidate shall not engage in political or campaign activity that is inconsistent with the independence, integrity, or impartiality of the judiciary."[9]
The full text of the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct can be found here.
Removal of judges
Judges in Ohio may be removed in one of three ways:[10][11]
- Retirement, removal or suspension by a special Supreme Court commission.
- Removal by a concurrent resolution of two-thirds of the members of both houses of the Ohio General Assembly.
- Conviction by a two-thirds vote of the Ohio Senate, upon impeachment by a majority vote of the Ohio House of Representatives.
State profile
| Demographic data for Ohio | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ohio | U.S. | |
| Total population: | 11,605,090 | 316,515,021 |
| Land area (sq mi): | 40,861 | 3,531,905 |
| Race and ethnicity** | ||
| White: | 82.4% | 73.6% |
| Black/African American: | 12.2% | 12.6% |
| Asian: | 1.9% | 5.1% |
| Native American: | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Pacific Islander: | 0% | 0.2% |
| Two or more: | 2.5% | 3% |
| Hispanic/Latino: | 3.4% | 17.1% |
| Education | ||
| High school graduation rate: | 89.1% | 86.7% |
| College graduation rate: | 26.1% | 29.8% |
| Income | ||
| Median household income: | $49,429 | $53,889 |
| Persons below poverty level: | 19.6% | 11.3% |
| Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015) Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Ohio. **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here. | ||
Presidential voting pattern
- See also: Presidential voting trends in Ohio
Ohio voted Republican in five out of the seven presidential elections between 2000 and 2024.
Pivot Counties (2016)
Ballotpedia identified 206 counties that voted for Donald Trump (R) in 2016 after voting for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012. Collectively, Trump won these Pivot Counties by more than 580,000 votes. Of these 206 counties, nine are located in Ohio, accounting for 4.37 percent of the total pivot counties.[12]
Pivot Counties (2020)
In 2020, Ballotpedia re-examined the 206 Pivot Counties to view their voting patterns following that year's presidential election. Ballotpedia defined those won by Trump won as Retained Pivot Counties and those won by Joe Biden (D) as Boomerang Pivot Counties. Nationwide, there were 181 Retained Pivot Counties and 25 Boomerang Pivot Counties. Ohio had eight Retained Pivot Counties and one Boomerang Pivot County, accounting for 4.42 and 4.00 percent of all Retained and Boomerang Pivot Counties, respectively.
More Ohio coverage on Ballotpedia
- Elections in Ohio
- United States congressional delegations from Ohio
- Public policy in Ohio
- Endorsers in Ohio
- Ohio fact checks
- More...
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Supreme Court of Ohio, "Courts of Appeal," accessed August 19, 2019
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "2025 Salaries and Rankings," accessed October 8, 2025
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, “Ohio Candidate Requirement Guide,” accessed December 7, 2021
- ↑ Ohio General Assembly, “(Senate Bill Number 80),” accessed December 7, 2021
- ↑ Supreme Court of Ohio, "Courts of Appeal," accessed September 9, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Ohio," accessed September 1, 2021
- ↑ Ohio Laws & Administrative Rules, "Section 2501.02 | Qualification, term, and jurisdiction of appellate judges.," accessed April 12, 2023
- ↑ Ohio Laws & Administrative Rules, "Section 2501.06 | Presiding judge - administrative judge," accessed April 12, 2023
- ↑ Supreme Court of Ohio, "Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct," accessed August 18, 2025
- ↑ Ohio Laws & Administrative Rules, "Section 2701.11 | Rules for retirement for disability, removal and suspension for cause of judges.," accessed August 19, 2025
- ↑ Ohio Laws & Administrative Rules, "Article IV, Section 17 | Judges removable," accessed August 19, 2025
- ↑ The raw data for this study was provided by Dave Leip of Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections.
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio
State courts:
Ohio Supreme Court • Ohio District Courts of Appeal • Ohio Courts of Common Pleas • Ohio County Courts • Ohio Municipal Courts • Ohio Court of Claims
State resources:
Courts in Ohio • Ohio judicial elections • Judicial selection in Ohio
| |||||||
