Take the Justice Biography Quiz

It’s that time of year when the Ohio Judicial Center becomes a favorite site for field-trips before school ends.

The 100 fourth-graders that I talked with Monday from Monroe Elementary School sure know their government facts. They answered question after question about the judicial, legislative and executive branches at the end of their visit to the Ohio Judicial Center. To see the session that includes a special visit from a justice who made history long ago, click play on the video below.

We also introduced our new Web site that includes biographies of all 153 justices who have served on our Supreme Court. The Ohio Historical Society helped tremendously in researching this information.
You can read all the biographies by visiting this Web site: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/SCO/formerjustices/default.asp.

Once you do that, see how you do on this quiz on Supreme Court justices. I’ll post the answers next week.

1) Which justice served the shortest term?
2) Which justice served the longest term?
3) Which justice was the second longest-serving chief justice?
4) Which justice was the first woman to serve?
5) Which justice served with his brother on the Court?

Good luck!

Hooray for Heritage Middle School!

Back in November I told you about a statewide video contest to teach Ohio middle school students about the dangers of “sexting” and cyber bullying.

On Monday, the winning team of students and teachers from Heritage Middle School in Painesville was recognized by the Ohio State Bar Foundation, which sponsored the contest.

Congratulations to students Leah Oberstar, Jayden Bowler-Dixon, Nick Severino and Jalen Powell and teachers Justin Vargo, Ryan Delaney and Kahari Hicks for a job well done and for raising awareness about this important issue.

You can view the video by visiting this link: http://osbf.net/what-we-do/b4usend.

Justice Judy Joins YouTube

The Ohio State Bar Association has created a series of instructional videos posted on YouTube for new attorneys who are beginning their careers in the practice of law. I was delighted to be part of that program. While I’m not ready to launch my very own YouTube channel, there are two videos I’d like to tell you about.

In the first one, I make a few recommendations for what new attorneys should know as they begin appearing before judges and the courts. Click here to watch that video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAUcrwq89e8

In the second, I discuss the basics of Ohio’s court system. To watch that one, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpOPYz1dcu4

Although the series is directly primarily toward new layers, I hope this information will be helpful to you, too.

High Tech Education

New developments in technology like iPads, smart phones and cloud computing are changing our lives in many ways. Judges, court personnel and others within the judicial system will be able to keep up with these ever-changing times because of a new Supreme Court educational service.

The Court’s Judicial College launched the Judicial eCademy Tuesday. It allows users interested in education and training to browse courses, access material, register and take selected courses entirely online, all without leaving home or the office.

But the best feature about the service is that it will save time by reducing travel expenses for local courts and money by reducing printing costs for course materials for the Court.

To read more about the eCademy, visit the website www.judicialecademy.ohio.gov/.

Special Award for Court’s Diversity Program

Remember the Ohio Law and Leadership program we mentioned last summer? The American Bar Association honored the Ohio Law and Leadership Institute for establishing a pipeline program for those intending to complete college and enter the legal profession. Interested youngsters from urban neighborhoods receive a chance to study law during the summer at an Ohio law school.

For the second year I spoke to students enrolled in this program – this time in Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo. I hope to do the same this summer. Let me tell you, these students work so hard and their stories are inspiring.

This year’s group will be the first class to attend all four years. I can’t wait to hear where they will attend college.

You can read more about the Law and Leadership program by visiting the website, http://www.lawandleadership.org/.

The Court’s Own Home

Many people don’t realize that it took more than 200 years for the Ohio Supreme Court to find its own home. In the very early days, the Supreme Court Justices, (then called judges) were expected to “ride the circuit” by horseback to hear cases in every county in the state. When there were no local courthouses, sometimes cases were heard in county residences. The Court did not even sit in one place until 1857 when it moved “temporarily” to the Ohio Statehouse. And there it stayed for 117 years.

The Ohio Statehouse celebrates its 150th year in 2011. It now houses offices for the executive and legislative branches of government and is the meeting place for the General Assembly. But for over a century, even before construction was completed, the Supreme Court was also there.

First, cases were heard in the southwest corner of the Statehouse (now the office for the Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives). As government grew, between 1899 and 1901 a Judiciary Annex was built and included the Attorney General’s Office as well as the Court and other offices that had outgrown their spaces. The Supreme Court met in split sessions of three justices in the two Annex courtrooms. Those rooms are now the North Hearing Room and South Hearing Room in the Senate Building.

The next move led the Court to the Rhodes State Office Tower in 1974 where it stayed side-by-side members of the executive branch for 30 years. Not until February of 2004 did the Court finally move to the Ohio Judicial Center. This was the first time in the state’s history that the Supreme Court had a building devoted solely to the judicial branch. The first time it had its own home.

You can read more about our award-winning Judicial Center by visiting the website, http://www.ohiojudicialcenter.gov/.

A New Beginning

I wish you all the best in 2011 as the Supreme Court of Ohio starts a new year!

Every two years when January rolls around, at least two Justices participate in the administration of the oath of office. In fact, every judge and every other Ohio officeholder takes an oath to uphold the Constitution before starting a new term.

Today, I was sworn-in for a second time as a Justice at a public ceremony along with my colleague, Justice Paul Pfeifer. We were both fortunate to be re-elected by Ohio voters in November. Earlier this month, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor and Justice Yvette McGee Brown, the Court’s newest member, also participated in public inaugurations.

Here’s what our oath says:

“I, (name), do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Ohio, will administer justice without respect to persons, and will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all of the duties incumbent upon me as (name of office) according to the best of my ability and understanding. [This I do as I shall answer unto God.]”

By law this oath is taken before our term begins, and it must be administered by a fellow member of the Court. That’s why Justices typically hold a small, informal private ceremony and then hold a public ceremony later.

You can watch the ceremonies on the Court’s website and see that we are now energized for 2011. I am also eager to continue to discuss important topics about the judiciary with you through this blog and look forward to your participation.