Ohio Supreme Court
Fraternal Order of Police, teachers, former law enforcement against armed teacher policy
An organization representing more than 23,000 police officers, including school resource officers, says allowing teachers to bring guns to school under only a concealed carry permit could do more harm than good. The Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio said this in a brief to the Ohio Supreme Court, which is considering a case that […]
Ohio Supreme Court: Evidence of previous crimes not always allowed in new trials
Using two different sex crime cases, the Ohio Supreme Court specified the ways in which past crimes and accusations can be used in judging the likelihood of committing current crimes. The state’s highest court affirmed the conviction in a Hamilton County in which Michael Smith was charged with the molestation of his granddaughter in 2016. […]
Chief Justice: Virtual courtrooms, broken barriers the future of justice
The true nature of justice lies in its ability to change when society calls for it, according to the head of Ohio’s highest court. Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor said that change is coming in the form of safety measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic and rethinking the justice system in light of […]
New tort law first step in getting justice for sexual assault survivors, victim says
There is no amount of money that can keep Jessica Simpkins from replaying the images of her rape at the hands of a church pastor. But having a law in place that protects her and other survivors of sexual violence would help, she said on Tuesday. “They need to look at the victim, look at […]
House arrest, monitoring not counted for time-served, Ohio Supreme Court rules
House arrest and electronic monitoring don’t count as part of jail-time credit, the Ohio Supreme Court said in a recent ruling. The decision reverses a lower court’s decision that said an Erie County man was entitled to credit for time served in a 2015 case for which he was placed on house arrest after violating […]
Ohio Secretary of State sued by Kanye West campaign demanding Ohio candidacy
Ohio’s Secretary of State is being sued by Kanye West, who is attempting to compel the state’s elections chief to put his name on the November ballot. West and his running mate, Michelle Tidball, are listed as parties in court documents filed Wednesday with the Ohio Supreme Court, against Frank LaRose. West and Tidball are […]
Ohio Supreme Court: School district firearms policy can go on, pending appeal
The Ohio Supreme Court has said a school district can go ahead with a firearm policy for personnel while the state’s highest court decides on their case. The Ohio Supreme Court granted Madison Local School District’s request to allow the implementation of a policy allowing trained personnel including teachers to be armed on the Butler […]
Legal assistance foundation: Pro bono work sees increase
A nonprofit legal assistance group said Ohio’s attorneys have contributed to a significant increase in free legal services in the last year. The Ohio Access to Justice Foundation reported a 70% increase in pro bono donations since 2018, and more than $26 million worth of pro bono work done since last year. The pro bono […]
Ohio school asks state supreme court to speed up decision on armed teachers policy
An Ohio school district hoping to enact a policy to arm teachers is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to speed up their decision in light of an approaching school year. Last week, the state’s highest court agreed to hear the appeal of the Madison Local School District, after an appeals court ruled they did not […]
Panel of retired judges to consider suspension of Toledo City Council members charged in federal probe
The Ohio Supreme Court’s chief justice will bring in three retired judges to oversee the case of four Toledo elected officials charged in a federal bribery probe. The case involves Tyrone Riley, Yvonne Harper, Larry Sykes and Gary Johnson, all of whom are Toledo City Council members. They were arrested after allegedly being paid for […]
House Dem lawmakers seek rainy day funds for eviction protections
The coronavirus pandemic’s effect on the local economy continues, and two state representatives are trying to tap into the state’s rainy day fund for an “eviction crisis response.” In a bill introduced on Monday, $270 million would be used for immediate, one-time rent relief, according to the sponsors, state Rep. David Leland, D-Columbus; and state […]
Bar exam postponed amid pandemic, prolonging uncertainty for aspiring lawyers
The Ohio Supreme Court announced last week that the Ohio Bar Examination — the compulsory test to be licensed to practice law — will be postponed until early October and will be conducted online. The exam, which was taken by nearly 900 aspiring lawyers last summer, was originally scheduled for July 28-29, but was postponed to Sept. […]