Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Cuyahoga County Employee Admits to Stealing from Employment and Family Services

Cuyahoga County can't seek to catch any breaks lately. The latest scandal reported by the news media is that a county employee named Juanita Myrick just pleaded guilty to stealing over $864,000 from the Cuyahoga County Department of Employment and Family Services. Newsnet5.com reported that she set up a P.O. box to funnel unclaimed funds to herself. Clevescene reported that the money came from clients who did not receive their welfare checks. Juanita was indicted almost a year ago on May 25, 2007 in Case No. CR-07-496493-B on charges of theft, aggravated theft, theft in office, forgery, forging identity cards, ID fraud, tampering with records, and the unauthorized use of property/computer system.She recently plead and is awaiting sentence.

Cuyahoga County to Switch Voting Equipment Again

The Plain Dealer reports that voters will have to contend with yet another voting system for the November 2008 presidential election. The local Cuyahoga County Board of Elections has scrapped plans to use "central-count" optical scan machines it rented for the March primary and will change to "precinct-based" optical scanning machines for November. These new machines would apparently allow voters to review their ballot choices before their votes are counted and they leave the polls. Whether the county will buy or rent this new equipment is still up-in-the-air, but vendors are scheduled to provide quotes by April 28th in anticipation of making formal presentations on May 1st.

Cuyahoga BOE Investigating Cross-Over Voters

Cuyahoga County's Board of Elections recently initiated an investigation of voters who switched their party affiliation for the March 4th presidential primary. This investigation began because over 16,000 Republicans in Cuyahoga County declared themselves as Democrats by signing a required affidavit of allegiance to their new party. Falsifying this affidavit carries with it with the potential for a felony 5 conviction with 6-12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine pursuant to Ohio Revised Code secs. 3513.20 and 3599.36. Allegations that voters were trying to rig the November election to help John McCain succeed could lead to subpoenas and prosecution. The Plain Dealer indicated that a report from the BOE was expected by March 31st, but it has not yet been issued.

Cuyahoga County CP Court Posts Documents re: Proposed Foreclosure Mediation Program

On March 24, 2008, the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court posted documentation regarding a proposed Foreclosure Mediation Program. The plan outlines steps which should be taken once a foreclosure complaint has been filed. Step 4 allows for a borrower to request mediation and requires the lender to complete a questionnaire. The Mediation Department would then review both documents at Step 5  and determine whether the case should be mediated or returned for further foreclosure proceedings. The remaining steps outline the process of holding prepatory meetings, the mediation itself, filing of the mediation report, and ongoing assessment and community outreach efforts. Judge Eileen T. Gallagher is accepting comments on the proposal through April 7, 2008. Click here to read our prior post about the Ohio Supreme Court's issuance of an Ohio Model Foreclosure Mediation Program.

Cuyahoga County to Build New Juvenile Justice Center

The Plain Dealer reports that Cuyahoga County has awarded $40 million in contracts for the construction of a new Juvenile Justice Center on the East side at East 93rd and Quincy Avenue. The project is slated for completion by 2010 and will include space for judges and a juvenile detention center. Although the location was purchased in 2000, the Plain Dealer reports that Juvenile Court Judges did not want to move from their present location until the issue was resolved in late summer 2006. The County's existing juvenile detention center, which has been plagued with issues of over-crowding, is located on Central Avenue in Cleveland.

Cuyahoga County Courthouse Safe from Water

When a water pipe near Ontario and Superior burst underground yesterday, the flowing water reached the second step of the Cuyahoga County Courthouse before receding. Other than mud on the steps and surrounding streets, and an odor in the lower levels of the building, the Courthouse was safe from the deluge that broke a gaping hole in the street and shut down the roads near Public Square. Although Tri-C's main campus downtown had to close because of water problems, the Courthouse remained open for the pursuit of justice.

April Changes Coming for Local Criminal Case Management

Starting on April 14, 2008, Cuyahoga County prosecutors and prisoners will have to follow new criminal case management rules. According to upcoming changes in Local Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Rule 23 on Criminal Case Management, prisoners in the Cuyahoga County jail who have been bound over to the grand jury must be released if they have not been indicted within 30 days. The exception to this new rule allows the Administrative Judge of the Common Pleas Court to grant the prosecutor additional time for good cause.  According to the Court's Press Release, comments on the new rule will be accepted until April 7th. Click here to search all of the Court's current Local Rules.

Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Bar Associations to Merge 3/1/08

It will soon be a 'done deal' on March 1st when the Cleveland Bar Association and the Cuyahoga County Bar Association formally merge into a single entity. Right now, a joint Blue Ribbon Panel composed of members from both associations is accepting nominations through February 14, 2008 for board positions on the new entity to be named the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. A Press Release issued by the Chair of the Blue Ribbon Panel identifies all of the offices for which nominations are being sought, as well as qualifications for the positions.

Feb 5th-ACLU Gets Injunction Hearing on Cuyahoga County Paper Ballots

Tomorrow, on February 5, 2008, Judge Kathleen O'Malley of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio will hold a hearing on the ACLU's petition for a preliminary injunction to prohibit Cuyahoga County from using paper ballots in the upcoming presidential primary on March 4th. The Plain Dealer reported that the ACLU filed for injunctive relief on January 28th, claiming that the system imposed by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner violates the equal protection clause of US Constitution. Click here to read our prior post about Brunner's order. The case docket can be found on PACER under Case No. 1:08-cv-00145-KMO. Click here to read the ACLU's Memorandum in Support of its motion for a preliminary injunction.

Cuyahoga Ordered to Use Paper Ballots by March 2008

The Plain Dealer reports that Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner has ordered Cuyahoga County to use paper ballots by the March 2008 Presidential primary. Although Cuyahoga County spent about $21 million within the last 2 years to buy touch-screen machines, recurring problems, including 2 computer crashes in the recent November elections, caused the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to reconsider its decision. On Thursday, the BOE vote deadlocked, and Brunner broke the tie Friday. Apparently, the Cuyahoga BOE is already gearing up to bring in optical scanners in January at a cost of up to $9 million dollars to count the print ballots. Will the optical scanners be optimal for the upcoming elections? Only time will tell.