Appellate Court picks 2026 leaders

VW independent staff/submitted information

Judges William Zimmerman and Mark C. Miller have been tapped to provide leadership respectively as the presiding and administrative judges for the Third District Court of Appeals in 2026.

Judge Zimmerman will lead the Court by scheduling and presiding over hearings while Judge Miller will be responsible for the daily administration of court operations, policies and its employees.

The Appellate Court, based in Lima, reviews rulings from 17 counties that make up the Third Appellate District. This includes cases from each county’s common pleas court (including probate, juvenile and family courts) and municipal courts. The Appellate Court consists of four judges who review cases in panels of three to ensure that legal proceedings in the trial court complied with Ohio law and constitutional standards.

Judge Zimmerman was previously the probate/juvenile judge in Shelby County and joined the Third District bench in 2017. Judge Miller came to the Court in 2021 having previously served as Hancock County Prosecutor and Findlay Municipal Court judge.

The counties in the Third District Court of Appeals include: Allen, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Logan, Marion, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Van Wert, Wyandot.