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by Susie Taylor

Note: This is the first in an ongoing series on this November’s court elections.

You’re an informed voter. You’ve done your homework and know the names you’ll see on the ballot. You know which legislator will get an "x" by his or her name or which governor candidate’s "chad" you’ll punch. But what about the court system? Will you recognize the names on the ballot for your district appellate and Ohio Supreme courts?

"That can be so frustrating. You go to the polls and see names you’ve never seen before on a ballot," said Deering Dyer, OFBF director of political education. "Do you close your eyes and guess, or do you skip those races? Those are tough questions to ask yourself while you’re standing in the election booth."

Dyer suggests court system candidates are just as important as those local, statewide and federal legislative races.

"In recent years, the Ohio Supreme Court and lower appellate courts have made decisions that we (OFBF) think are not good for Ohio agriculture," Dyer said. "And we believe there have been cases when the courts have overstepped their authority by creating law rather than simply interpreting it, which is what they’re supposed to do."

The Ohio Supreme Court is comprised of a chief justice and six justices who are elected to six-year terms on a nonpartisan ballot. Two justices are chosen at the general election in even-numbered years. In the year when the chief justice is elected, voters will pick three justices. To serve on the Supreme Court, a candidate must be an attorney with at least six years experience. Appointments are made by the governor for vacancies that may occur between elections.

The Ohio Supreme Court is the "ultimate check on other court decisions," Dyer said. Most of its cases are appeals from the 12 district courts of appeals.

Ohio is divided into 12 appellate court districts, with at least three judges serving in each district. The number of judges in each district depends on several factors, including the district’s population and the court’s caseload.

As the intermediate level appellate courts, their primary function is to hear appeals from common pleas, municipal and county courts. Each case is heard and decided by a three-judge panel.

Appeals court judges are elected to six-year terms in even-numbered years, and must have been admitted to the bar in Ohio for at least six years before beginning a term.

"The court races are important simply because of the role these judges play in interpretation of Ohio law," Dyer said. "We hold the executive and legislative branches of our state government accountable with elections. We need to hold the court races to the same standard."

The Aug. 19 installment of this series will focus on what factors should be used to choose a judicial candidate.