Buckeye Boys State Court Section

Delegates at American Legion Buckeye Boys State who have an interest in the field of law and possibly a goal to follow a career in the legal profession are offered a unique opportunity to learn first-hand about the workings of the law within the state of Ohio through participation in the Buckeye Boys State Courts Section.

Young men who chose to involve themselves in the Buckeye Boys State Courts Section have the opportunity to learn first hand about the law by "hands on" practical experience serving as private lawyers, City Law Directors, County Prosecutors, justices on the Boys State Supreme Court, Court of Claims, Court of Appeals, trial courts, or the Boys State Attorney General.

All of the Court levels that operate within the state of Ohio operate within the Buckeye Boys State program.

There are nine (9) Courts of Common Pleas and nine (9) Municipal Courts, which operate in the nine Buckeye Boys State counties. Additionally, there is a seven (7) member Boys State Supreme Court; a three (3) member Boys State Court of Appeals, and a three (3) member Boys State Court of Claims.

One (1) young man will serve as the Chief Justice of the Boys State Supreme Court and following the inauguration of the Governor of American Legion Buckeye Boys State will swear in the members of the Boys State House and Senate, the Boys State County Officials, and the Boys State Mayors.

Besides the judgeships described above, Boys State delegates also have an opportunity to serve as Court bailiffs and Court clerks to carry out the administrative duties of the courts.

In the state of Ohio, to practice law a delegate must pass the Buckeye Boys State Bar Exam, a 50 question, open book test using the "Ohio Government Digest" provided to each delegate.

Delegates have three (3) opportunities to pass the Boys State Bar Exam. Should a delegate fail the bar exam after three attempts and obtain a position in the Boys State program that requires a law degree for that position, the delegate will be required to resign the position.

A number of sitting Judges and practicing lawyers in the state of Ohio set aside their dockets and volunteer their time to serve at Boys State guiding the delegates in legal procedures, research, trials, and appellate practice.

Delegates serving in the Boys State Courts Section have the opportunity to access an on-line law library called "Casemaker" provided free of charge to Boys State through a partnership with the Ohio State Bar Association and the Ohio Judicial Conference.

Additionally, the Ohio Supreme Court serves as a major contributor to Buckeye Boys State in terms of program support and assistance from the Justices on the Supreme Court bench.

Schedule permitting, the President of the Ohio State Bar Association visits the Boys State program annually to speak with and interact with the delegates working in the Courts Section.

In addition, the Union County Bar Association has purchased robes which are worn by the young men serving as justices in the Boys State Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, Court of Claims, and trial courts.

The Ohio American Legion, American Legion Buckeye Boys State, the Boys State Courts section, and the Ohio State Bar Association recognize the need and value of educating the citizens of Ohio on the workings of the law and the Ohio court system and are proud to present this opportunity to Boys State delegates.