Ohio Supreme Court
Ohio Supreme Court denies attempt to stop abortion ban
The Ohio Supreme Court has denied an attempt by abortion clinics to stop a six-week abortion ban from being enforced. In a Friday ruling, the court denied a motion for an emergency stay of Senate Bill 23, legislation signed into law in 2019 that banned abortion up to six-weeks gestation. The lawsuit is still ongoing, […]
Ohio Supreme Court: Victim presence in rape trial unconstitutional
The state’s highest court reversed a rape and kidnapping conviction in a Stark County case, saying the presence of the victim at the prosecutor’s table set the defendant up for an unfair trial. The defendant will now be re-tried. The case involved the conviction of Theodis Montgomery, who was charged with rape and kidnapping of […]
Ohio Supreme Court finds backpack marijuana search unconstitutional
At first, the officers said they searched her backpack looking for weapons. In the end, they found only marijuana-infused cereal and some of the drug in flower and concentrate form. Officers went on to charge Kennedy Burroughs with felony possession of marijuana. The Ohio Supreme Court unanimously overturned her conviction Tuesday. The justices ruled that […]
Lawsuit filed to protect abortion in Ohio
A new lawsuit is sending Ohio’s six-week abortion ban to state court, less than a week after an injunction on it was lifted by a federal court. The ACLU and its Ohio chapter, along with the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the WilmerHale law firm, asked the Ohio Supreme Court to block the recently […]
Ohio Supreme Court allows more Statehouse candidates for primary
The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled against the state secretary of state’s decision to disqualify six candidates from the Aug. 2 primary. The candidates – William DeMora, Anita Somani, Elizabeth Thien, Leronda Jackson, Bridgette Tupes and Gary Martin – all filed their candidacy at least 90 days before the August election, therefore the 4-3 majority […]
Only one appeal filed in federal redistricting case
A single appeal was filed in the federal redistricting case that deemed an unconstitutional map as the official map for the general election in November. But that appeal is to an issue that was folded into the original lawsuit, accusing the Ohio Redistricting Commission of discriminating against voters of color when they decided not to […]
Ohio Redistricting Commission co-chair declines to adopt legislative maps
The Republican co-chair of the Ohio Redistricting Commission declined his fellow co-chairs invitation to adopt a new legislative redistricting plan, as was ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court. The letter from state Rep. Jeff LaRe, R-Violet Twp., to state Sen. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron, went on to declare the the Ohio Constitution dictates “when and how […]
Deadline for new redistricting plan comes without action
The Ohio Supreme Court gave the Ohio Redistricting Commission until Friday to adopt a new legislative plan for the sixth time. No meetings were scheduled, and no maps have been seen or publicly announced. As of Thursday afternoon, a spokesperson for the House Republicans said “nothing has been decided.” Commission rules state that 24-hours notice […]
GOP redistricting commissioners have broken the Ohio Constitution and rule of law
“If courts don’t uphold the rule of law,” tweeted former Ohio Democratic Party chairman David Pepper, “there is no rule of law.” Last week the Ohio Supreme Court proved him right. The Republican members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission — tasked with drawing fair legislative districts maps — openly defied the court and violated the […]
State courts could overturn abortion bans in red states
Story originally from Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts. If the federal right to abortion is erased by the U.S. Supreme Court in a few weeks as expected, the legal spotlight will shift immediately to state courts, where experts say judges in some conservative states could surprise everyone and uphold the right to […]
Federal court implements Statehouse maps twice declared unconstitutional by Ohio Supreme Court
A federal district court, in a 2-1 decision Friday, implemented Ohio state Senate and House district maps for the 2022 election that have twice been declared unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders by the Ohio Supreme Court. Also in a 2-1 decision, in April, the judges representing the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio Eastern […]
Voting rights groups ask federal court to delay implementing maps in light of Ohio Supreme Court decision
The ACLU of Ohio filed a motion Friday asking a federal court to delay its deadline for it implementing Ohio House and Senate district maps for 2022 that have now twice been declared unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders by the Ohio Supreme Court. In a 2-1 decision in April, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District […]