Franklin County Court of Common PleasJudiciary

The Franklin County Court of Common Pleas is the state trial court of general jurisdiction serving Franklin County, Ohio, located in the state capital of Columbus. Its judicial mandate is to adjudicate felony criminal prosecutions, major civil lawsuits exceeding $15,000, administrative appeals from state agencies, and specialized probate, domestic relations, and juvenile proceedings across distinct court divisions. Established in 1803 under Article III of Ohio's original constitution concurrently with the formation of Franklin County and Ohio's admission to the Union, the court historically presided over early frontier trials in Franklinton before moving to Columbus when it became the permanent county seat and state capital.