OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
S.B. 158* Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for S.B. 158’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Reported by House Government Oversight
Primary Sponsor: Sen. Cirino
Effective date:
Aida S. Montano, Research Analyst
SUMMARY
▪ Creates a new judgeship of the Adams County Common Pleas Court, to be elected in 2026,
six-year term to begin February 9, 2027.
▪ Provides that beginning on February 9, 2029, such judge will be designated as the judge
of the Adams County Common Pleas Court, Probate and Juvenile Division, with the
powers relating to juvenile courts and probate courts.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Adams County Common Pleas Court
New judgeship
Under current law, the Adams County Common Pleas Court has one judge, most recently
elected in 2022, term began February 9, 2023.1
The bill creates a new judgeship with that judge to be elected in 2026, six-year term to
begin February 9, 2027.2
Judge of the Probate and Juvenile Division
Under the bill, subject to the following sentence, the judge of the Adams County Common
Pleas Court whose term begins on February 9, 2027, and successors, will have the same
qualifications, exercise the same powers and jurisdiction, and receive the same compensation as
* This analysis was prepared before the report of the House Government Oversight Committee appeared
in the House Journal. Note that the legislative history may be incomplete.
1 R.C. 2301.02(A).
2 R.C. 2301.02(A).
December 18, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
the other judge of the Adams County Common Pleas Court. Beginning on February 9, 2029, the
judge of the common pleas court whose term begins on February 9, 2027, and successors, will
be designated as the judge of the Adams County Common Pleas Court, Probate and Juvenile
Division. The judge will have the following powers and cases:3
▪ All of the powers relating to juvenile courts, and all cases under the Juvenile Court Laws;
▪ All parentage proceedings arising under the Parentage Law over which the juvenile court
has jurisdiction;
▪ All powers relating to probate courts, and all matters that are within the jurisdiction of
the probate court under the Probate Court Law and other provisions of the Revised Code.
The bill provides that on and after February 9, 2029, all references in law to “the probate
court,” “the probate judge,” “the juvenile court,” or “the judge of the juvenile court” are to be
construed, with respect to Adams County, as being references to the Probate and Juvenile
Division and as being references to the judge of the Probate and Juvenile Division.4
Election of judges of probate division of court of common pleas
Under current law, judges of the probate division of the court of common pleas are judges of
the court of common pleas but are elected pursuant to the Probate Court Law, except in Adams and
other specified counties in which the judge of the court of common pleas elected pursuant to the law
pertaining to the election of judges of courts of common pleas also serves as judge of the probate
division. The bill removes the exception for Adams County in the above provision.5
Conforming and corrective changes
The bill makes a conforming change in the Juvenile Court Law.6
The bill makes a corrective change with respect to the Hardin County Common Pleas Court
to conform to the creation of an additional judge of that court by S.B. 312 of the 133 rd General
Assembly.7
3 R.C. 2301.03(GG)(1).
4 R.C. 2301.03(GG)(2).
5 R.C. 2301.02.
6 R.C. 2151.07.
7 R.C. 2301.02(A).
P a g e |2 H.B. 283
As Reported by House Government Oversight
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 09-19-23
Reported, S. General Gov’t 09-27-23
Passed Senate (25-6) 09-27-23
Reported, H. Gov’t Oversight ---
ansb0158rh-135/ks
P a g e |3 H.B. 283
As Reported by House Government Oversight


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 705.19
As Reported By Senate Committee: 705.19
As Passed By Senate: 705.19