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Ohio Supreme Court rules courts don’t have to consider ability to pay when imposing fees
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a split 5-2 decision that courts do not have to consider a defendant’s present or future ability to pay court fees when deciding whether such costs are applicable, overturning an appellate judge’s earlier ruling. The case stems from a complaint filed by Darren Taylor who was convicted of […]
Local and federal law enforcement using intimidation tactics against protesters, state lawyers guild says
Lawyers across the state say local and national law enforcement have been using police intimidation tactics against Black Lives Matter protesters and organizers. The Ohio Chapter of the National Lawyers Guild said on Monday that police surveilled and visited at least a dozen people, seizing trash, probing for personal testimony, and asking for photos and […]
Governor, lawmakers urge U.S. Space Command to consider Ohio for its new headquarters
Ohio lawmakers are shooting for the stars. The state Senate passed a resolution Wednesday urging the U.S. Space Command to ground its new headquarters in the Buckeye State, following Gov. Mike DeWine’s endorsement on Tuesday. The U.S. Space Command is the newest branch of the U.S. Department of Defense, chartered to conduct operations in, from […]
Protesters report adverse effects from tear gas exposure, demand Columbus ban chemical agents entirely
“I feel very violated by the state” Mason Hickman distinctly remembers the burning sensation as he inhaled a waft of tear gas on the Ohio Statehouse lawn when police used the chemical agent to disperse a group of peaceful protesters. Afterwards, he felt exhausted — likely because of the blistering summer heat, he thought. That […]
Ohio Public Defenders call for systemic change in criminal justice system to address racism
About 50 lawyers, administrators and investigators from the Office of the Ohio Public Defender (OPD) circled Franklin Park on Monday afternoon, honoring the death of George Floyd, a black man killed by police, and protesting police violence and racial injustice in the courts. The demonstration in Columbus was one of several across the country organized […]