Bold indicates chief judge or chief justice. The Ohio Supreme Court was created by the Ohio Constitution of 1802 with three judges, and had three or four through 1851. In 1851, the number of judges was increased to five. In 1892, the number of judges was increased to six. In 1912, the office of chief justice was created and the total number of judges was increased to seven (including the chief justice). In 1968, all the supreme court judges were re-titled as justice.
See also: List of Ohio politicians Ohio Supreme Court elections
Chief justices
Chief judges (1803–1845) NamePartyTermReturn Jonathan Meigs Jr.Democratic-Republican1803–1804Samuel HuntingtonDemocratic-Republican1804–1808William SpriggDemocratic-Republican1808–1810Thomas ScottDemocratic-Republican1810–1815Ethan A. BrownDemocratic-Republican1815–1819Jessup Nash CouchDemocratic-Republican1819–1821Calvin PeaseDemocratic-Republican1821–1829Peter Hitchcock 1829–1833Joshua Collett 1833–1835Ebenezer Lane 1835–1845
Chief justices (since 1913) NamePartyTermHugh L. NicholsDemocratic1913–1920Carrington T. MarshallRepublican1921–1932Carl V. WeygandtDemocratic1933–1962Kingsley A. TaftRepublican1963–1970C. William O'NeillRepublican1970–1978Robert E. LeachRepublican1978Frank D. Celebrezze Sr.Democratic1978–1986Thomas J. MoyerRepublican1987–2010Eric BrownDemocratic2010Maureen O'ConnorRepublican2011–2022Sharon L. KennedyRepublican2023–
List of justices denotes incumbent NameBegan activeserviceEnded activeservicePolitical affiliationAppointed by18031804 Democratic-Republican Ohio General Assembly18031806 Democratic-Republican Ohio General Assembly18031808 Democratic-Republican Ohio General Assembly18051808 Democratic-Republican Elected18061810 Democratic-Republican Edward Tiffin18091815 Democratic-Republican Elected18091810 Democratic-Republican Ohio House18101816 Jacksonian Ohio General Assembly18101818 Democratic-Republican Ohio General Assembly18151821 Democratic-Republican Thomas Worthington18161822 Jacksonian Ohio General Assembly18161830 Democratic-Republican Ohio General Assembly181918351845183318421852 Democratic-Republican Ohio General Assembly18211828 National Republican Party Ethan Allen Brown18231829 National Republican Party Ohio General Assembly18291836 National Republican Party Ohio General Assembly18301830 Democratic Ohio General Assembly18301830 Jacksonian 18301830 Democratic-Republican Allen Trimble18301830 National Republican Party Allen Trimble18301845 National Republican Party Ohio General Assembly18311835 Democratic-Republican Ohio General Assembly18331847 Democratic 18361842 Democratic Ohio General Assembly18421849 Democratic Ohio General Assembly18421849 Democratic Ohio General Assembly18471851 Whig Ohio General Assembly18491852 Democratic Ohio General Assembly18491854 Democratic Ohio General Assembly1851186318571865 Democratic Ohio General Assembly18521859 Democratic Elected18521854 Democratic Elected18521856 Democratic Elected18541855 Democratic William Medill18541856 Democratic William Medill18551859 Republican Elected18561856 Republican Elected18561871 Republican Elected18561858 Republican Salmon P. Chase18561872 Republican Salmon P. Chase18581863 Republican Elected18591864 Republican Elected18591863 Republican Elected18631865 Republican David Tod18641864 Republican Elected18641883 Republican John Brough18651875 Republican Elected18651878 Republican John Brough18711886 Republican Elected18721873 Republican Elected18731874 Republican Edward Follansbee Noyes18741877 Democratic William Allen18751880 Democratic Elected18771881 Republican Elected18781885 Democratic Elected18801886 Republican Elected18811883 Republican Elected18831883 Republican Charles Foster18831883 Republican Charles Foster18831887 Democratic Elected18831889 Democratic Elected18851885 Democratic George Hoadly18851912 Republican Elected18861902 Republican Elected18861895 Republican Joseph B. Foraker18871902 Republican Elected18891902 Republican Elected18831904 Republican Elected18951914 Republican Elected19001912 Republican Elected19021912 Republican Elected19021911 Republican George K. Nash19041911 Republican Elected19111922 Democratic Elected19111919 Democratic Elected19121912 Democratic Judson Harmon19121914 Democratic Elected19131924Progressive Party Elected19131919 Democratic Elected19131920 Democratic James M. Cox19151937 Republican Elected19151953 Republican Elected19191932 Republican Elected19191920 Democratic James M. Cox19201920 Democratic James M. Cox19201922 Republican Elected19211932 Republican Elected19221922 Republican Harry L. Davis19231933 Republican Elected19231934 Democratic Elected19241924 Democratic Vic Donahey19251933 Republican Elected19321936 Democratic George White19331962 Democratic Elected19331934 Democratic George White1933193519341969 Democratic George White (first term)19341934 Democratic George White1934193419341957 Republican 19341934 Democratic Elected19341946 Republican Elected19351940 Republican Elected19371940 Democratic Elected19371938 Democratic Martin L. Davey19381939 Democratic Elected19401950 Republican John W. Bricker19411942 Republican Elected19421947 Republican Elected19471948 Democratic Frank Lausche19471959 Republican Thomas J. Herbert19491962 Republican Elected19501950 Democratic Frank Lausche19501954 RepublicanElected19531954 Democratic Frank Lausche19541970 Republican Elected19551962 Democratic Elected19571963 Republican Elected19591960 Democratic Michael DiSalle19601978 Republican Elected19621964 Democratic Michael DiSalle19631964 Democratic Michael DiSalle19631968 Republican Elected19641972 Republican Elected1964197319681981 Republican Jim Rhodes (first term)19691971 Republican Jim Rhodes19691980 Republican Elected19691976 Republican Jim Rhodes19701977 Republican Jim Rhodes19701978 Republican Jim Rhodes19711973 Democratic John J. Gilligan19721978 Democratic Elected19731984 Democratic Elected19771994 Democratic Elected19771989 Democratic Elected19781982 Republican Jim Rhodes19801981 Republican Jim Rhodes19811987 Democratic Elected19811983 Republican Jim Rhodes19831985 Democratic Elected19852002 Republican Elected19851996 Republican Elected19872010 Republican Elected19871993 Democratic Elected19892007 Democratic Elected19932004 Democratic Elected19932017 Republican Elected19952003 Republican Elected19962012 Republican George Voinovich20032022 Republican Elected20032018 Republican Bob Taft20052016 Republican Elected20072013 Republican Elected20102010 Democratic Ted Strickland20112012 Democratic Ted Strickland2012present Republican Elected20132021 Republican John Kasich20132018 Democratic Elected2017present Republican Elected2017present Republican Elected20182019 Republican John Kasich20192025 Democratic Elected20192025 Democratic Elected2021present Democratic Elected2023present Republican Mike DeWine/Elected2025present Republican Elected2025present Republican Elected
Supreme Court Commission
In 1875, the Constitution of Ohio was amended to provide for the Supreme Court Commission.See Article IV, section 21 at The amendment reads in part: "A commission, which shall consist of five members, shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, the members of which shall hold office for the term of three years from and after the first day of February, 1876, to dispose of such part of the business then on the dockets of the Supreme Court, as shall, by arrangement between said commission and said court, be transferred to such commission; and said commission shall have like jurisdiction and power in respect to such business as are or may be vested in said court; and the members of said commission shall receive a like compensation for the time being, with the judges of said court."Amendment called for five members. In 1876, six members were named. In 1883, four were named. Also, amendment called for "...a like commission with like powers, jurisdiction and duties; provided, that the term of any such commission shall not exceed two years, nor shall it be created oftener than once in ten years", though 1883 was not ten years from 1876. Apparently, the amendment is still in force.
Commission of 1876 On February 2, 1876, Ohio Governor Rutherford B. Hayes appointed the following six members: Josiah Scott of Crawford County William Wartenbee Johnson of Lawrence County D. Thew Wright of Hamilton County Richard A. Harrison of Franklin County Henry C. Whitman of Hamilton County Luther Day of Portage County
Harrison refused the appointment, and Thomas Q. Ashburn of Clermont County was seated March 16, 1878. The commission sat until February 2, 1879, and "assisted in bringing up the docket which had fallen behind the reasonable time for trial."
Commission of 1883 Governor Charles Foster appointed another commission of four men, which served from April 17, 1883 to April 16, 1885. George K. Nash of Franklin County Franklin J. Dickman of Cuyahoga County Charles D. Martin of Fairfield County John McCauley of Seneca County
References
Further reading