Ohio judicial news
From Judgepedia
News about or affecting the judiciary in Ohio.
Lohier and O’Malley nominated to federal courts
Washington, D.C. President Obama nominated two judges to federal courts on March 10th. Raymond Lohier, Jr., formerly an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. U.S. District Judge Kate O'Malley, of the Northern District of Ohio, was nominated to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.[1]
No suspension for Judge Russo
Cleveland, Ohio: After receiving two convictions of disorderly conduct from fights with his girlfriend, the Ohio Supreme Court suspended the law license of Judge Joseph Russo. But the suspension was stayed after a hearing on February 25th. The court ruled that Judge Russo could keep his position on the Cuyahoga County juvenile court as long as he completed an alcohol recovery program.[1]
Study says women under-represented in nine state court systems
A study released by the National Institute on Money in State Politics in January 2010 concluded that "women and members of ethnic or racial minorities are underrepresented in a majority of state courts across the nation."[1]
The study took a look at the electoral fates of state-level candidates for judicial positions in 35 states, with a very focused look in 9 states (Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin) with a view to discovering whether their odds of winning office correlated with their:
- Ability to raise money
- Ethnicity, race or gender.[1]
Of the 154 candidates scrutinized in the study:
- 12% of the 154 state candidates were members of an ethnic or racial minority.
- 35% of the 154 candidates were women.[1]
Charges against Joseph Rehkamp dismissed
Pennsylvania: Charges have been dismissed against Luzerne County Judge Joseph Rehkamp, who was arrested for assault and harassment during an argument with his wife. He has been suspended from duty since January 20, 2010. The Luzerne County district attorney’s office will decide whether or not to drop the charges.[1]
Judge Whitmore seeks third term
Akron, Ohio: Judge Beth Whitmore has announced that she plans to seek re-election to the Ohio Ninth District Court of Appeals in 2010. She has served on this court since November of 1998.[1]
Judge Evans retires, three candidates seek to replace him
Coschocton, Ohio: Judge Richard Evans plans to retire from his position on the Coshocton County Court of Common Pleas. He has served on this court for 33 years. Three Ohio attorneys have lined up to replace him: Bob Batchelor, Van Blanchard II, and William Todd Drow. The two Republican candidates, Batchelor and Blanchard, will compete in the May 4, 2010 primary election. The winner will face Drown, the only Democratic candidate, in the general election.[1][2]
Three candidates for Licking County Common Pleas Court
Newark, Ohio: Three candidates have joined the race for Licking County Common Pleas Court judge: David Branstool of the Licking County Municipal Court; Brian Waltz, the Licking County Assistant Prosecutor; and Robert Morris, a general practice attorney. Republicans Waltz and Morris will compete in the primary election for a chance to run against Branstool, who is the only Democratic candidate. The winner of the general election in November of 2010 will replace former Judge Jon Spahr.[1]
Judge Carr to assume senior status
Ohio: Judge James Carr has announced his plan to retire from active duty on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. He will assume senior status later this year (2010), after serving on this court since 1994.[1]
Judge Hany seeks spot on District Court of Appeals
Port Clinton, Ohio: Judge Frederick C. Hany II, of the Ottawa County Municipal Court, has announced his candidacy for the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals. He will seek to replace deceased Judge William Skow on this court in the 2010 judicial election.[1]
O'Connor files for chief justice position
Ohio: Judge Maureen O'Connor has officially entered the race for chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. She has served on this court since November of 2002. She will compete in the fall of 2010 against probate judge Eric Brown for the highest judicial position in the state.[1]
Lanzinger seeks re-election to the Ohio Supreme Court
Ohio: Judge Judith Ann Lanzinger officially filed for re-election to the Ohio Supreme Court on February 11th. She was first elected to this court in 2004. Mary Jane Trapp is expected to be her opponent.[1]
Washam seeks Common Pleas Court seat
Salem, Ohio: Scott A. Washam has announced his plan to run for a seat on the Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas. He has worked as a full-time magistrate judge since December of 2007. Currently a Magistrate of the Juvenile and Probate Divisions of the Court of Common Pleas, Washam will be running against Melissa Byers-Emmerling to replace retiring Judge David Tobin.[1]
Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice passes away
Columbus, Ohio: J. Craig Wright died on February 3, 2010 at the age of 80. He was an Ohio Supreme Court Justice from 1985 to 1996.[1]
Probate judge seeks Ohio's top judicial job
Ohio: Eric Brown has announced his candidacy for the position of Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. He has served as the Franklin County Probate Court judge since 2008. He will be running against Supreme Court Justice Maureen O'Connor to replace Thomas Moyer, who will be retiring on December 31, 2010.[1]
Municipal judge seeks Common Pleas Court seat
East Liverpool, Ohio: Melissa Byers-Emmerling announced that she will run for a seat on the Columbiana County Court of Common Pleas. There will be an open seat on this court later this year due to the retirement of Judge David Tobin.[1]
Ohio judge threatens defendant, may be punished by Supreme Court
Ohio: Judge Daniel Gaul of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas is under scrutiny by the Ohio Supreme Court for threatening a defendant in an assault case. Judge Gaul believed that the victim in this case had been intimidated in order to keep her from testifying, so he he threatened the defendant with jail time if the victim did not testify. The Supreme Court's disciplinary board said that this violated the state's Code of Judicial Conduct and Rules of Professional Conduct.[1]
Yarbrough and Mandros seek judgeships in Ohio
Ohio: Judge Stephen Yarbrough, currently a visiting Ohio Courts of Common Pleas judge, plans to run for a seat on the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals. He will be running against Keila Cosme, who was appointed temporary judge of the court after the death of Judge William Skow.
Dean Mandros, Chief of the Criminal Division for the Lucas County Prosecutor's office, will seek a seat on the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas. The seats of four Common Pleas Court judges will be up for election later this year.[1]
Ohio federal courthouse to get security upgrades
Columbus, Ohio: The federal courthouse in Ohio's capitol city of Columbus will receive security upgrades. The upgrades were planned before the tragic shooting at a Las Vegas federal courthouse on January 4, 2010.
Metal detectors and security screenings will remain normal; improvements are planned in the screening area when people walk into courthouse. Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Babtist declined to give specifics, but said that the improvements are designed to address vulnerabilities in the security screening area. No timetable for completion has been announced. [1]
First Hispanic judge appointed to Ohio appellate court
Ohio: Governor Ted Strickland has appointed the first Hispanic to serve on an appellate court in Ohio. She is Keila Cosme, an attorney from Toledo. Cosme was appointed to fill the remainder of William Skow's term on the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals after he passed away. She will take her seat on November 16, 2009. If Cosme wishes to retain the seat when her appointment expires, she must run for it in the 2010 general election. [1]
Cosme was born in Puerto Rico, and moved to the United States when she was 17 years old. She graduated from Boston University in 1990 and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1994. Cosme is married with two children. [2]
Prior to her judicial appointment, Cosme was a partner with the Toledo law firm Cosme, D'Angelo, and Szollosi since 2001. She worked primarily in civil litigation, with an emphasis on "complex commercial litigation and personal injury/wrongful death actions". [2] She was in private practice at the Law Offices of Keila D. Cosme from 1998-2001 and was with the firm Calfee, Halter and Griswold from 1995-98. [3]
Magistrate judge recommended for seat on federal district court
Ohio: Federal magistrate judge Benita Pearson has been recommended by Ohio's two U.S. senators to President Obama to fill an Article III federal vacancy on the District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. The opening is due to the assumption of senior status by Peter Economus.
If the recommendation is accepted by President Obama the Senate must still vote to confirm the nomination. If confirmed, Pearson would become the first black woman to receive a seat in the Ohio Federal Districts.
"David Sierleja, first assistant U.S. attorney in Cleveland, called Pearson 'an extremely hardworking, very bright' lawyer who did an outstanding job prosecuting public-corruption cases." [1]
Judge Boyko throws the book at broker
Ohio: Federal judge Christopher Boyko sentenced disgraced investment banker Phillip Rossi to twelve years in federal prison on July 13, 2009. Rossi was found guilty of bilking investors out of $3.5 million.
Boyko threw out the normal sentencing guidelines and gave Rossi twice the maximum sentence the guidelines would have allowed. Rossi pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud.
In explaining his rationale for the sentence, Boyko took issue with Rossi continuing to defraud investors after he had been confronted last fall by both FBI and postal service investigators. Boyko also noted that the twelve year sentence was warranted when Rossi continued to contact victims after his indictment. "That to me is the height of arrogance and greed," said Judge Boyko. [1]
Articles: Overview (click on link for complete article)
- Appeals court slaps Portage County judge for gaps in trial records (12/23/08)
- Ohio Judges Contradictory Private Judge Ruling (7/23/2008)
- Proposed public-access rules for court records will go to Ohio Supreme Court for review, June 28, 2008
- The New Politics of Judicial Elections in the Great Lakes States, 2000-2008
References
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The Ohio Project on Judgepedia
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