Ohio Supreme Court
Cuyahoga County man’s death sentence reversed due to court error
A death sentence was vacated by the Ohio Supreme Court because a trial court lacked “diligence” in reading the defendant his constitutional rights. George Brinkman pleaded guilty in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to aggravated murder, aggravated burglary, kidnapping and abuse of a corpse in the death of a woman and her two daughters. He […]
Ohio Supreme Court to decide whether charter school head liable for treasurer’s action
The CEO of a now-closed community school awaits the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision as to whether he can be held liable for funds the fiscal officer was convicted of stealing. Robert Burns was the director of New City Community School from 2009, until the school closed in 2010. The fiscal officer during Burns’ tenure was […]
Ohio ballots will list party affiliations for top judicial candidates
A change to Ohio’s ballot rules could impact key Supreme Court races in 2022 and influence the leaning of the state’s highest court for years to come. Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill into law Thursday that will list candidates’ party affiliations on ballots for certain judicial races. This will include races for the Ohio […]
The race for Ohio Supreme Court chief justice is on
2022 race could prove complicated for Ohio Democrats At least two justices on the Ohio Supreme Court are eyeing the chief justice position and plan to campaign for the top judicial seat in 2022. Democrat Jennifer Brunner and Republican Patrick DeWine are planning to run for chief justice next year. These two, and potentially another […]
History Thursday: ’70s lawmaker gave docs a taste of their own medicine
When Ohio lawmakers proposed raising medical school tuition back in 1971, a group of medical students took to the Statehouse to oppose the plan. They came ready to testify against the bill, but as is often the case in Columbus, the hearing was delayed. The students sat waiting for 90 minutes until Committee Chairman Robert […]
With new legislation supporting mental health housing, property tax case gets sent back to state
The Ohio Supreme Court vacated the decision of a state tax board that said tax exemptions shouldn’t apply to a permanent supportive housing facility for low-income individuals seeking mental health and addiction services. The case came to the state’s highest court after the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals reversed a property tax exemption for Hawthorn […]
Ohio Supreme Court: Community schools owed grant funding
A group of community charter schools weren’t given funding due to them by the state of Ohio, according to an Ohio Supreme Court ruling. Horizon Science Academy, which has a system of 17 schools in Ohio along with other schools across the country, sued the state after the Ohio Department of Education determined the community […]
Now is the moment to fully and fairly fund Ohio’s schools
For decades, Ohio’s legislature has spun its wheels trying to “fix” our public schools. They’ve increased standardized testing, based decisions off a school report card system that fails to measure if we are meeting our students’ needs, and finally, when schools or districts fall short on these arbitrary metrics, legislators have harmed them even more […]
Supreme Court to hear case of woman charged with possession after newborn tests positive
The Ohio Supreme Court is taking up a case in which a woman was convicted of drug possession, but the only drugs she possessed were in her blood system and the blood system of her newborn. Kelly Foreman was charged in Seneca County on felony drug possession charges “despite the fact that she was never […]
ECOT argues school board’s say isn’t final in Ohio Supreme Court repayment lawsuit
Arguments about the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow have been going in multiple legal filings, and the latest debate is in the Ohio Supreme Court, who has been tasked with how to interpret the word “final.” ECOT is fighting a decision by the Ohio Department of Education that said it owed about $80 million over two […]
Bills seek party labels on ballots for Ohio Supreme Court
When voters cast their ballots for the Ohio Supreme Court, the justice candidates are not labeled by party affiliation. That could change if a new bill proposed by a pair of Northern Ohio Republicans is successfully enacted. Senate Bill 80, introduced by Republican state Sens. Theresa Gavarone of Bowling Green and Jerry Cirino of Kirtland, […]
Honoring Black history and fighting for the future of education
On Feb. 1, as Black History Month began in Ohio’s classrooms and virtual classrooms, Gov. Mike DeWine unveiled his proposed budget for the next two years, which continues the education funding policies that systematically underfund public schools that educate Black students and even shift some of that funding away toward unaccountable, for-profit private schools. Black […]