Justice Stratton: Permanent Supportive Housing Program Benefits Ohio's Courts
(Nov. 13, 2006) Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, chair of the Court's Advisory Committee on Mental Illness and the Courts, recently joined with state leaders to bring awareness to the positive impact permanent supportive housing has on individuals faced with homelessness. Permanent supportive housing helps people live more stable, productive lives, Justice Stratton says, and is among the essential services needed for the success of mental health courts and specialized dockets operated by courts throughout the state. (Read more.)

Supreme Court Hears Nine Cases This Week
(Nov. 10, 2006) The Supreme Court of Ohio hears oral arguments in nine cases this week. Five cases will be argued on Tuesday, including a case involving the interpretation of the doctrines of res judicata and collateral estoppel, a Hamilton County case addressing the statute of limitations to file a negligence claim, a case seeking to clarify the requirements for abolishing a civil service position, a case examining whether a trial court's dismissal of an action for lack of personal jurisdiction prevents re-filing of the same claim in trial court, and an attorney discipline case out of Franklin County. The Court will hear four cases on Wednesday, including a case out of Cuyahoga County involving a question of justifiable forcible entry, an insurance coverage dispute out of Summit County, a case addressing the requirements surrounding an inmate's request for DNA testing of evidence, and a Delaware County case addressing speedy trial rights.

Previews of this week’s cases are available online or from the Court's Office of Public Information.

Oral arguments begin at 9 a.m. each day and are held in the Courtroom of the Ohio Judicial Center in Columbus.

Names of counsel and procedural information about scheduled cases are available on the Court’s online docket. More information is also available in the case files in the Supreme Court Clerk’s Office (614.387.9530).

All oral arguments before the Supreme Court of Ohio are televised live by Ohio Government Telecommunications on the Ohio Channel. Live streaming video and a video archive of all the Court's oral argument sessions since March 2004 may be viewed on the Court's Web site.

More Than 1,000 New Attorneys Admitted to the Bar in Ceremonies at the Ohio Theatre
(Nov. 6, 2006) More than 1,000 new attorneys who met the challenge of law school and passing the bar exam were sworn in at ceremonies officially admitting them to the bar. Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Maureen O'Connor administered the oath at the ceremonies, which took place during two special sessions of the Supreme Court at the historic Ohio Theatre. (Read more.)

Crime Victim's Statement To Nurse During Treatment Held Non-Testimonial, Admissible at Trial
(Nov. 8, 2006) In a case involving a crime victim who died of unrelated causes before her accused assailant was brought to trial, the Supreme Court of Ohio has held in a 4-3 decision that the admissibility at trial of third-party “hearsay” testimony about statements made by a now-deceased witness depends on whether those statements were made “under circumstances that would lead an objective witness reasonably to believe that the statement would be available for use at a later trial.” (Read more.)

Error In Assigning Judge Is Ground for Objection, But Does Not Deprive Trial Court of Jurisdiction
(Nov. 8, 2006) The Supreme Court of Ohio has held that when a trial court possesses subject-matter jurisdiction over a case, a procedural error in transferring the case to a visiting judge is grounds for a timely objection and renders a judgment voidable, but does not void the trial court's judgment by negating its subject-matter jurisdiction over the case. (Read more.)