As Introduced

125th General Assembly
Regular Session
2003-2004
H. B. No. 26


Representatives Raga, Schneider 



A BILL
To amend section 2301.02 of the Revised Code to add1
one additional judge for the general division of2
the Warren County Court of Common Pleas to be3
elected in 2004.4


BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

       Section 1. That section 2301.02 of the Revised Code be5
amended to read as follows:6

       Sec. 2301.02.  The number of judges of the court of common7
pleas for each county, the time for the next election of the8
judges in the several counties, and the beginning of their terms9
shall be as follows:10

       (A) In Adams, Ashland, Fayette, and Pike counties, one judge, 11
elected in 1956, term to begin February 9, 1957;12

       In Brown, Crawford, Defiance, Highland, Holmes, Morgan,13
Ottawa, and Union counties, one judge, to be elected in 1954, term14
to begin February 9, 1955;15

       In Auglaize county, one judge, to be elected in 1956, term to16
begin January 9, 1957;17

       In Coshocton, Darke, Fulton, Gallia, Guernsey, Hardin,18
Jackson, Knox, Logan, Madison, Mercer, Monroe, Morrow, Paulding,19
Vinton, and Wyandot counties, one judge, to be elected in 1956,20
term to begin January 1, 1957;21

       In Carroll, Champaign, Clinton, Hocking, Meigs, Pickaway,22
Preble, Shelby, Van Wert, and Williams counties, one judge, to be23
elected in 1952, term to begin January 1, 1953;24

       In Harrison and Noble counties, one judge, to be elected in25
1954, term to begin April 18, 1955;26

       In Henry and Putnam counties, one judge, to be elected in27
1956, term to begin May 9, 1957;28

       In Huron county, one judge, to be elected in 1952, term to29
begin May 14, 1953;30

       In Perry county, one judge, to be elected in 1954, term to31
begin July 6, 1956;32

       In Sandusky county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954,33
term to begin February 10, 1955, and one to be elected in 1978,34
term to begin January 1, 1979;35

       (B) In Allen county, three judges, one to be elected in 1956, 36
term to begin February 9, 1957, the second to be elected in 1958, 37
term to begin January 1, 1959, and the third to be elected in 38
1992, term to begin January 1, 1993;39

       In Ashtabula county, three judges, one to be elected in 1954,40
term to begin February 9, 1955, one to be elected in 1960, term to41
begin January 1, 1961, and one to be elected in 1978, term to42
begin January 2, 1979;43

       In Athens county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954, term44
to begin February 9, 1955, and one to be elected in 1990, term to45
begin July 1, 1991;46

       In Erie county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term47
to begin January 1, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1970,48
term to begin January 2, 1971;49

       In Fairfield county, three judges, one to be elected in 1954,50
term to begin February 9, 1955, the second to be elected in 1970,51
term to begin January 1, 1971, and the third to be elected in52
1994, term to begin January 2, 1995;53

       In Geauga county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term54
to begin January 1, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1976,55
term to begin January 6, 1977;56

       In Greene county, four judges, one to be elected in 1956,57
term to begin February 9, 1957, the second to be elected in 1960,58
term to begin January 1, 1961, the third to be elected in 1978,59
term to begin January 2, 1979, and the fourth to be elected in60
1994, term to begin January 1, 1995;61

       In Hancock county, two judges, one to be elected in 1952,62
term to begin January 1, 1953, and the second to be elected in63
1978, term to begin January 1, 1979;64

       In Lawrence county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954,65
term to begin February 9, 1955, and the second to be elected in66
1976, term to begin January 1, 1977;67

       In Marion county, three judges, one to be elected in 1952,68
term to begin January 1, 1953, the second to be elected in 1976,69
term to begin January 2, 1977, and the third to be elected in70
1998, term to begin February 9, 1999;71

       In Medina county, three judges, one to be elected in 1956,72
term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1966,73
term to begin January 1, 1967, and the third to be elected in74
1994, term to begin January 1, 1995;75

       In Miami county, two judges, one to be elected in 1954, term76
to begin February 9, 1955, and one to be elected in 1970, term to77
begin on January 1, 1971;78

       In Muskingum county, three judges, one to be elected in 1968,79
term to begin August 9, 1969, one to be elected in 1978, term to 80
begin January 1, 1979, and one to be elected in 2002, term to 81
begin January 2, 2003;82

       In Portage county, three judges, one to be elected in 1956,83
term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1960,84
term to begin January 1, 1961, and the third to be elected in85
1986, term to begin January 2, 1987;86

       In Ross county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term87
to begin February 9, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1976,88
term to begin January 1, 1977;89

       In Scioto county, three judges, one to be elected in 1954,90
term to begin February 10, 1955, the second to be elected in 1960,91
term to begin January 1, 1961, and the third to be elected in92
1994, term to begin January 2, 1995;93

       In Seneca county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term94
to begin January 1, 1957, and the second to be elected in 1986,95
term to begin January 2, 1987;96

       In Warren county, threefour judges, one to be elected in97
1954, term to begin February 9, 1955, the second to be elected in98
1970, term to begin January 1, 1971, and the third to be elected99
in 1986, term to begin January 1, 1987, and the fourth to be100
elected in 2004, term to begin January 2, 2005;101

       In Washington county, two judges, one to be elected in 1952,102
term to begin January 1, 1953, and one to be elected in 1986, term103
to begin January 1, 1987;104

       In Wood county, three judges, one to be elected in 1968, term105
beginning January 1, 1969, the second to be elected in 1970, term106
to begin January 2, 1971, and the third to be elected in 1990,107
term to begin January 1, 1991;108

       In Belmont and Jefferson counties, two judges, to be elected109
in 1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955,110
respectively;111

       In Clark county, four judges, one to be elected in 1952, term112
to begin January 1, 1953, the second to be elected in 1956, term113
to begin January 2, 1957, the third to be elected in 1986, term to114
begin January 3, 1987, and the fourth to be elected in 1994, term115
to begin January 2, 1995.116

       In Clermont county, four judges, one to be elected in 1956,117
term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1964,118
term to begin January 1, 1965, the third to be elected in 1982,119
term to begin January 2, 1983, and the fourth to be elected in120
1986, term to begin January 2, 1987;121

       In Columbiana county, two judges, one to be elected in 1952,122
term to begin January 1, 1953, and the second to be elected in123
1956, term to begin January 1, 1957;124

       In Delaware county, two judges, one to be elected in 1990,125
term to begin February 9, 1991, the second to be elected in 1994,126
term to begin January 1, 1995;127

       In Lake county, six judges, one to be elected in 1958, term128
to begin January 1, 1959, the second to be elected in 1960, term129
to begin January 2, 1961, the third to be elected in 1964, term to130
begin January 3, 1965, the fourth and fifth to be elected in 1978,131
terms to begin January 4, 1979, and January 5, 1979, respectively,132
and the sixth to be elected in 2000, term to begin January 6,133
2001;134

       In Licking county, three judges, one to be elected in 1954,135
term to begin February 9, 1955, one to be elected in 1964, term to136
begin January 1, 1965, and one to be elected in 1990, term to137
begin January 1, 1991;138

       In Lorain county, eight judges, two to be elected in 1952,139
terms to begin January 1, 1953, and January 2, 1953, respectively,140
one to be elected in 1958, term to begin January 3, 1959, one to141
be elected in 1968, term to begin January 1, 1969, two to be142
elected in 1988, terms to begin January 4, 1989, and January 5,143
1989, respectively, and two to be elected in 1998, terms to begin144
January 2, 1999, and January 3, 1999, respectively;145

       In Butler county, ten judges, one to be elected in 1956, term 146
to begin January 1, 1957; two to be elected in 1954, terms to147
begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively; one to148
be elected in 1968, term to begin January 2, 1969; one to be149
elected in 1986, term to begin January 3, 1987; two to be elected150
in 1988, terms to begin January 1, 1989, and January 2, 1989,151
respectively; one to be elected in 1992, term to begin January 4,152
1993; and two to be elected in 2002, terms to begin January 2,153
2003, and January 3, 2003, respectively;154

       In Richland county, three judges, one to be elected in 1956,155
term to begin January 1, 1957, the second to be elected in 1960,156
term to begin February 9, 1961, and the third to be elected in157
1968, term to begin January 2, 1969;158

       In Tuscarawas county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956,159
term to begin January 1, 1957, and the second to be elected in160
1960, term to begin January 2, 1961;161

       In Wayne county, two judges, one to be elected in 1956, term162
beginning January 1, 1957, and one to be elected in 1968, term to163
begin January 2, 1969;164

       In Trumbull county, six judges, one to be elected in 1952,165
term to begin January 1, 1953, the second to be elected in 1954,166
term to begin January 1, 1955, the third to be elected in 1956,167
term to begin January 1, 1957, the fourth to be elected in 1964,168
term to begin January 1, 1965, the fifth to be elected in 1976,169
term to begin January 2, 1977, and the sixth to be elected in170
1994, term to begin January 3, 1995;171

       (C) In Cuyahoga county, thirty-nine judges; eight to be172
elected in 1954, terms to begin on successive days beginning from173
January 1, 1955, to January 7, 1955, and February 9, 1955,174
respectively; eight to be elected in 1956, terms to begin on175
successive days beginning from January 1, 1957, to January 8,176
1957; three to be elected in 1952, terms to begin from January 1,177
1953, to January 3, 1953; two to be elected in 1960, terms to178
begin on January 8, 1961, and January 9, 1961, respectively; two179
to be elected in 1964, terms to begin January 4, 1965, and January180
5, 1965, respectively; one to be elected in 1966, term to begin on181
January 10, 1967; four to be elected in 1968, terms to begin on182
successive days beginning from January 9, 1969, to January 12,183
1969; two to be elected in 1974, terms to begin on January 18,184
1975, and January 19, 1975, respectively; five to be elected in185
1976, terms to begin on successive days beginning January 6, 1977,186
to January 10, 1977; two to be elected in 1982, terms to begin187
January 11, 1983, and January 12, 1983, respectively; and two to188
be elected in 1986, terms to begin January 13, 1987, and January189
14, 1987, respectively;190

       In Franklin county, twenty-one judges; two to be elected in191
1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955,192
respectively; four to be elected in 1956, terms to begin January193
1, 1957, to January 4, 1957; four to be elected in 1958, terms to194
begin January 1, 1959, to January 4, 1959; three to be elected in195
1968, terms to begin January 5, 1969, to January 7, 1969; three to196
be elected in 1976, terms to begin on successive days beginning197
January 5, 1977, to January 7, 1977; one to be elected in 1982,198
term to begin January 8, 1983; one to be elected in 1986, term to199
begin January 9, 1987; two to be elected in 1990, terms to begin200
July 1, 1991, and July 2, 1991, respectively; and one to be201
elected in 1996, term to begin January 2, 1997;202

       In Hamilton county, twenty-one judges; eight to be elected in203
1966, terms to begin January 1, 1967, January 2, 1967, and from204
February 9, 1967, to February 14, 1967, respectively; five to be205
elected in 1956, terms to begin from January 1, 1957, to January206
5, 1957; one to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 1, 1965;207
one to be elected in 1974, term to begin January 15, 1975; one to208
be elected in 1980, term to begin January 16, 1981; two to be209
elected at large in the general election in 1982, terms to begin210
April 1, 1983; one to be elected in 1990, term to begin July 1,211
1991; and two to be elected in 1996, terms to begin January 3,212
1997, and January 4, 1997, respectively;213

       In Lucas county, fourteen judges; two to be elected in 1954,214
terms to begin January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955,215
respectively; two to be elected in 1956, terms to begin January 1,216
1957, and October 29, 1957, respectively; two to be elected in217
1952, terms to begin January 1, 1953, and January 2, 1953,218
respectively; one to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 3,219
1965; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 4, 1969;220
two to be elected in 1976, terms to begin January 4, 1977, and221
January 5, 1977, respectively; one to be elected in 1982, term to222
begin January 6, 1983; one to be elected in 1988, term to begin223
January 7, 1989; one to be elected in 1990, term to begin January224
2, 1991; and one to be elected in 1992, term to begin January 2,225
1993;226

       In Mahoning county, seven judges; three to be elected in227
1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, January 2, 1955, and228
February 9, 1955, respectively; one to be elected in 1956, term to229
begin January 1, 1957; one to be elected in 1952, term to begin230
January 1, 1953; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January231
2, 1969; and one to be elected in 1990, term to begin July 1,232
1991;233

       In Montgomery county, fifteen judges; three to be elected in234
1954, terms to begin January 1, 1955, January 2, 1955, and January235
3, 1955, respectively; four to be elected in 1952, terms to begin236
January 1, 1953, January 2, 1953, July 1, 1953, July 2, 1953,237
respectively; one to be elected in 1964, term to begin January 3,238
1965; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 3, 1969;239
three to be elected in 1976, terms to begin on successive days240
beginning January 4, 1977, to January 6, 1977; two to be elected241
in 1990, terms to begin July 1, 1991, and July 2, 1991,242
respectively; and one to be elected in 1992, term to begin January243
1, 1993.244

       In Stark county, eight judges; one to be elected in 1958,245
term to begin on January 2, 1959; two to be elected in 1954, terms246
to begin on January 1, 1955, and February 9, 1955, respectively;247
two to be elected in 1952, terms to begin January 1, 1953, and248
April 16, 1953, respectively; one to be elected in 1966, term to249
begin on January 4, 1967; and two to be elected in 1992, terms to250
begin January 1, 1993, and January 2, 1993, respectively;251

       In Summit county, eleven judges; four to be elected in 1954,252
terms to begin January 1, 1955, January 2, 1955, January 3, 1955,253
and February 9, 1955, respectively; three to be elected in 1958,254
terms to begin January 1, 1959, January 2, 1959, and May 17, 1959,255
respectively; one to be elected in 1966, term to begin January 4,256
1967; one to be elected in 1968, term to begin January 5, 1969;257
one to be elected in 1990, term to begin May 1, 1991; and one to258
be elected in 1992, term to begin January 6, 1993.259

       Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, in any county260
having two or more judges of the court of common pleas, in which261
more than one-third of the judges plus one were previously elected262
at the same election, if the office of one of those judges so263
elected becomes vacant more than forty days prior to the second264
general election preceding the expiration of that judge's term,265
the office that that judge had filled shall be abolished as of the266
date of the next general election, and a new office of judge of267
the court of common pleas shall be created. The judge who is to268
fill that new office shall be elected for a six-year term at the269
next general election, and the term of that judge shall commence270
on the first day of the year following that general election, on271
which day no other judge's term begins, so that the number of272
judges that the county shall elect shall not be reduced.273

       Judges of the probate division of the court of common pleas274
are judges of the court of common pleas but shall be elected275
pursuant to sections 2101.02 and 2101.021 of the Revised Code,276
except in Adams, Harrison, Henry, Morgan, Morrow, Noble, and277
Wyandot counties in which the judge of the court of common pleas278
elected pursuant to this section also shall serve as judge of the279
probate division.280

       Section 2. That existing section 2301.02 of the Revised Code281
is hereby repealed.282