Ohio
Ohio’s highest court is the Supreme Court of Ohio. The court has six justices and one chief justice. The chief justice is chosen by election for a six-year term. (Source: Ohio Constitution)
Judicial Selection
Justices on the Supreme Court of Ohio are selected through a partisan election, where multiple candidates may vie for the seat. The elected justice serves a six-year term. Justices may seek additional terms through partisan elections. When a seat opens in the middle of a justice’s term, the governor appoints a candidate to fill the vacancy. The appointed justice holds office until Ohio’s next general election more than 40 days after the vacancy occurred, unless the remainder of the term concludes within a year of said election, in which case the appointed justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. If there is an election, the elected justice serves the remainder of the unexpired term. There are no term limits, however, a justice may not be appointed or elected after age 70.
State Constitution
Ohio has had two constitutions adopted in 1802 and 1851. As of January 1, 2024, it had 180 amendments. (Source: John Dinan, 2024)
Filters
The Politics of State Constitutionalism
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
Democracy in State Constitutional Law
Transcript of panel from Symposium: The Promise and Limits of State Constitutions
Unpacking the Legal Challenges to Trump’s Ballot Eligibility
The vast majority of cases aiming to remove Trump from the ballot have been dismissed, but without deciding whether he’s eligible to hold the presidency.
Post-Dobbs State Judicial Races Broke Spending Records
New analysis of 2022 elections shows state judicial elections saw almost double the amount of money than any other prior midterm cycle.
A Conversation About Abortion Rights and the Future of State Constitutions
A retired state supreme court justice, a reproductive rights scholar, and the director of the Brennan Center’s Judiciary Program discuss the role of state courts after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision that there is no federal constitutional right to abortion.
The Writ of Mandamus in State Courts
The centuries-old remedy is increasingly used to force hotly contested political issues before state courts.
2023’s Most Significant State Constitutional Cases
Over a dozen academics, practitioners, and thought leaders weigh in on the most notable state constitutional cases of the year.
Ohio Supreme Court Hears Challenge to Pause of Abortion Ban
As Ohioans prepare to vote on an abortion ballot measure this fall, the state is asking to reinstate a six-week ban that was put on hold by a trial court.