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Civil courts hear civil matters—which are generally lawsuits regarding disputes between persons or entities in which money, property, or personal rights under the law are at issue. Civil matters are distinguishable from criminal matters, which generally involve a city, state, or federal government prosecuting a person or entity for the commission of a crime.

In Ohio, civil courts are responsible for adjudicating non-criminal disputes between parties, which may include individuals, businesses, or other entities. These disputes often involve issues such as contracts, torts (like personal injury cases), property rights, family law (including divorce and custody), and probate matters. The Ohio court system is structured with the Supreme Court at the top, followed by the Courts of Appeals, the Court of Common Pleas, Municipal Courts, and County Courts. The Court of Common Pleas has general jurisdiction over civil cases, while Municipal and County Courts handle lesser civil matters, often with monetary limits on the disputes they can hear. Civil cases typically require the plaintiff to prove their case by a 'preponderance of the evidence,' which is a lower standard than the 'beyond a reasonable doubt' standard used in criminal cases. The outcomes of civil cases can result in monetary damages, injunctions, or specific performance of contracts, rather than criminal penalties such as imprisonment or fines payable to the state.

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Courts

civil courts

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Courts

civil courts

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