(A)

(1) In counties having more than one county court judge, subject to division (A)(2) of this section, the presiding judge of the county court may divide the county court district into areas of separate jurisdiction and may designate the location at which each judge shall hold court. Except in county court districts exceeding one hundred twenty thousand population, each area of separate jurisdiction shall be made up of one or more townships. In assigning areas of separate jurisdiction, the presiding judge shall make each area of separate jurisdiction as equal in population and case load to others in the district as is possible under existing conditions.

Whenever the territory of a county court district is reduced by the territorial expansion of municipal court jurisdiction, the presiding judge may redetermine areas of separate jurisdiction and, if necessary, reassign areas so as to make each area of separate jurisdiction as equal in population and case load to others in the district as is possible under the altered conditions.

In county court districts exceeding one hundred twenty thousand population, subject to division (A)(2) of this section, the presiding judge of the county court may assign more than one county court judge to an area of separate jurisdiction. In any county court district of that nature, subject to division (A)(2) of this section, the presiding judge from time to time may assign a judge from one area of separate jurisdiction to another area of separate jurisdiction and redetermine and reassign areas of separate jurisdiction. Upon that redetermination and reassignment, the presiding judge shall consider, in addition to population, the case load of each area of separate jurisdiction.

(2) The presiding judge of the county court of Jefferson county shall determine areas of separate jurisdiction for the judges of the Jefferson county county court in the manner described in division (A)(1) of this section but subject to the provisions of this division governing the location in which each judge shall hold court. The judge of the Jefferson county county court whose term commences January 1, 1993, and that judge's successors, shall hold court in Wintersville. The judge of the Jefferson county county court whose term commences January 1, 1995, and that judge's successors, shall hold court in Dillonvale. The judge of the Jefferson county county court whose term commences January 2, 1995, and that judge's successors, shall hold court in Toronto.

(3) In counties having only one county court judge, the area of jurisdiction shall consist of the entire county court district, and the county court judge, with the concurrence of the board of county commissioners, shall designate the location at which the judge shall hold court.

(B) The jurisdiction of each county court judge shall be coextensive with the boundaries of the county court district.

Effective Date: 07-01-1997 .