Appellate Districts Parties wishing to appeal a final judgment from a lower court may generally file in the appropriate appellate district. The state can generally only appeal the decision of the lower court in civil matters. Ohio has 12 appellate districts that each contain a court of appeals. Courts of appeals consist of multi-judge panels. Appellate districts are based on the county in which the lower court is located.
Supreme Court Jurisdiction and Authority Parties may generally file an appeal of an appellate district court’s decision with the Ohio Supreme Court. Depending on the nature of the case, the Ohio Supreme Court may either be required to hear the appeal or choose or decline to hear it. The Ohio Supreme Court consists of a seven judge panel, including the chief justice, and hears cases from all 12 appellate districts.