The makeup of the Ohio Supreme Court has a significant
influence on Ohio’s legal and judicial climate, impacting the state’s economic
competitiveness. The Ohio Supreme Court has ultimate authority for interpreting
state laws—many of which directly impact how we live, work and learn. The
issues that come before the Ohio Supreme Court affect education, taxes, utility
bills, workers’ compensation, jobs and more. With economic uncertainty, it is critical that Ohioans elect
justices who interpret the law and maintain Ohio’s stable and predictable
judicial environment.
Over the last decade plus, Ohio has made dramatic progress
to improve the state’s civil justice environment, and today, Ohio has an
environment that reasonably protects employers from costly lawsuits while
providing truly injured parties with recourse to appropriate measures of
justice.
“A fair and balanced legal
system is one of Ohio’s most important strengths. I would urge all of our
members to learn about the Ohio Supreme Court candidates this year and understand
which candidates will protect the separation of powers between our respective
branches of government,” said Roger R. Geiger, vice president/executive
director of NFIB/Ohio.
Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor was first elected to the high
court in 2002 and was re-elected in 2008 as an Associate Justice, then finally
elected to Chief Justice in 2010. Justice O’Connor previously served as a judge
in the Summit County Court of Common Pleas where she was elected by her peers
to serve as an administrative judge. She
served for nine years as magistrate for the Summit County Probate Court.
O’Connor’s public service includes four years as a prosecuting attorney in Summit County,
and she was Ohio’s lieutenant governor during Gov. Taft’s first term. As
lieutenant governor, O’Connor also served as the Director of the Ohio
Department of Public Safety. She is running unopposed in 2016.
“Chief Justice O’Connor’s commitment to public service and
dedication to the state of Ohio has been exemplary,” said Geiger. “Chief
Justice O’Connor truly understands the importance of judicial stability to our
state’s economy. Under her leadership, the Ohio Supreme Court continues in a
steadfast, even-handed and predictable manner.”
Two candidates who are running for the Associate Justice positions will be joining NFIB/Ohio at Area Action Council meetings around the state in September and October 2016. Judges Pat DeWine and Pat Fischer both bring strong constitutional backgrounds and years of legal knowledge and experience to the race for these positions on the Ohio Supreme Court. Both have a well-rounded career of practicing law on both sides of the bench for over 20 years and agree that the role of an Ohio Supreme Court Justice is to interpret the law and not legislate from the bench.
“They bring a wealth of judicial experience combined with strong records of fairness and impartiality. Their philosophy of judicial restraint lends itself to a stable and predictable legal environment in Ohio,” said Geiger.
NFIB/Ohio members should make sure to watch for an e-mail, fax, or phone call to attend a local meeting to be introduced to Judges DeWine and Fischer in the coming month. Also, check back to the NFIB/Ohio webpage for a listing of dates and times we are holding meetings around the state. Contact NFIB/Ohio Member Support Manager Joe Hirabayashi at [email protected] with any questions.
