Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Issues 2006 Report

The Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court General Division has just issued its 2006 Annual Report. The report is available online and covers: statistics on filings and dispositions; general financial information about court expenses; and information on all court departments that cover probation, ADR, foreclosures, and many other court topics. In her opening letter, Presiding Judge Nancy McDonnell indicates that the court disposed of 48,310 cases and conducted 751 jury trials and 398 bench trials. Judge McDonnell also comments on the foreclosure statistics, which are reported later.

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.

Medina Court Posts Child Support Contempt Proceedings

Newsnet5.com reports that Medina Domestic Relations Court Judge Mary Kovack has begun posting video clips of her child support contempt sentencing hearings to the Internet. Judge Kovack and Common Pleas Court Judge James Kimbler are both using the website/blog called Insidethecourt.net to post these tapes to help lay people become more familiar with the courts and court processes.

OPERS Sues Freddie Mac in Class Action For Securities Fraud In Mortgage Industry

On behalf of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, commonly known as OPERS, Attorney General Marc Dann has sued Freddie Mac in Youngstown federal court, for securities fraud in the mortgage industry. The docket in the case can be found on PACER under Case No.4:2008cv00160. The nickname of Freddie Mac belongs to the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. Specifically, the suit seeks to recover millions in losses to Ohio's pensions funds caused by allegedly secret and deceptive lending practices that lead to sub-prime lending and high foreclosure rates. Click here to read the Attorney General's Press Release. Click here to read an article from the Columbus Dispatch, and click here to read an article from the Washington Business Journal.

Akron's Speeding Laws Are Valid Under Home Rule

Yesterday, the Ohio Supreme Court provided guidance to a Cleveland federal district court that certified a question concerning the legality and enforceaiblity of Akron's speeding ordinance. In Mendenhall v. Akron, 2008-Ohio-270, the Ohio Supreme Court held that Akron has the authority under the "home rule" provisions of Ohio's Constitution (Section 3, Article XVIII) to create an automated system for traffic enforcement that does not conflict with state law. The Court further held that Akron's speeding ordinance is a valid exercise of its police powers. The Court's recitation of the certified question indicates that the federal court would apply the same reasoning to issues regarding red-light cameras. However, the Court did not address other potential challenges to the legality of either speeding red light camera ordinances. The dockets and court documents in the underlying federal cases can be found at PACER, using case nos. 5:06 CV 0139 and 5:06 CV 0154. Click here to read the Supreme Court's Press Release.