Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Ohio's Minimum Wage Has Risen from $8.30 to $8.55

According to the Ohio Department of Commerce, Ohio's minimum wage for non-tipped employees rose $.25 per hour from $8.30 to $8.55 per hour effective January 1, 2019. In contrast, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. In addition, tipped Ohio employees received an hourly wage increase from $4.15 to $4.30 per hour. The Ohio DOC's new Minimum Wage Poster with greater details can be located on the web by clicking this link.

Judges Fuerst and Joseph Russo Join Judges O'Donnell and McMonagle on Cuyahoga CP Commercial Docket

Last year, the Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court voted to make its local Commercial Docket permanent. This year, having been appointed by Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, Judges Nancy Fuerst and Joseph D. Russo are joining Judges John P. O'Donnell and Richard J. McMonagle on the  Commercial Docket. According to the Press Release, 

"Judge Fuerst, the former Administrative Judge, will begin handling commercial cases
immediately. Judge Russo will begin handling cases on July 1, 2014. Commercial Docket Judges
also continue to hear criminal and civil cases."

Ohio Secretary of State Will Now Allow e-filing of the Most Frequently Used Business Forms

According to a press release by from the Ohio Secretary of State's office, the SOS now allows the most frequently used business forms to be filed online. As of today, the SOS Business Services forms page indicates that the following forms can be filed electronically once a filer registers:

• Continued Existence of Nonprofit Corporation
• Biennial Reports for LLCs, LLPs and Professional Associations
• Articles of Incorporation for a Domestic LLC
• Renewals for Trade Names and Fictitious Names).

According to the SOS, these forms comprise 50% of all the business filings its office receives. Interestingly, in this digital world in which we live, the SOS "will continue to make paper forms available for those who prefer to file business forms using the traditional method."

 

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Makes Its Commercial Docket Permanent

According to a Court Press Release, the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court made its Commercial Docket permanent, effective July 1st. The Common Pleas Court had been participating in a pilot project since 2008 that was started by the late Justice Thomas Moyer. Judges Richard J. McMonagle and John P. O'Donnell (who serves on our Law Library's 2 Boards) were the only judges working the docket, but the new program will expand to include 2 additional judges. Although the docket is governed by Ohio Superintendence Rules (49.01-49.12), the Common Pleas Court will also be formulating a Local Rule soon to help lawyers understand the process in Cuyahoga County. 

The State of Ohio Has Launched a New Site That Allow You to Track Agency Rule Changes and Receive Email Alerts

Ohio has launched a new website called RuleWatch Ohio that will allow you to track Agency Rules that affect you, your family, or your business. An OSBA News Release for the launch states that:

"RuleWatch Ohio allows individuals to track a specific rule they are interested in, or rules that cover a particular area of interest. By creating an account on the RuleWatch Ohio site, users can receive email alerts when there is activity on any of the rules they have selected."

Rule watchers may already be aware of the Register of Ohio online, which provides public notices of state Agency rule-making. However, RuleWatch Ohio proposes to be more user-friendly, and it may encourage more citizens to become involved in the rule-making process. 

Cleveland SOS Business Filings Office To Expand Services

As reported by Crain's Cleveland Business, the new Cleveland office of the Secretary of State's business services division is soon going to expand its services beyond issuing certificates of good standing, certified copies, apostilles, and minister's licenses to walk-in customers. The office, which opened in October of 2008, will soon allow local businesses to file corporate, UCC (ORC Title 13) and other business filings. According to Crain's, Northeast Ohio is one of the busiest regions for the SOS's business office. The Cleveland office is located on the 8th floor of the Lausche State Office tower on Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland.

Private Clubs Subject to Smoking Law

Today, the Ohio Supreme Court rejected a discretionary appeal in Case No.2008-0356, filed by the Ohio Department of Health to challenge Ohio's relatively new anti-smoking law as applied to private clubs and veterans' halls. The Court's decision confirms that the Ohio Department of Health did not have authority to issue special rules exempting private clubs from the anti-smoking law.  Newsnet5.com reports that appellees, the Ohio Licensed Beverage Association and its members, are pleased with the decision, as it treats all organizations that would otherwise have allowed smoking before the law equitably. See our prior post on the smoking regulations.

No More "Trouble in River City" Ohio

Similar to the lead character in The Music Man, who decried the evils of pool tables in River City, Ohio Governor Strickland has signed legislation outlawing gambling machines that allegedly require skill and pay out prizes or cash over $10.00. Click here to read HB 117, and click here to read the Governor's Press Release. (As an aside, Youtube.com provides video clips of some of the most memorable songs from The Music Man.)

Judge Strikes Smoking Ban Exemption for Private Clubs

In a 13 page opinion, a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge ruled that the Ohio Department of Health did not have the authority to exempt private clubs from the smoking ban.  A group of bar and restaurant owners wanted the exemption stopped because it gives private clubs an unfair advantage.  The judge found that an exemption for private clubs would violate the intent of the ban to protect employees from second hand smoke.  The judge's opinion stated that there was never actually a private club exemption in the SmokeFree Act, just an apparition of one. See Judge Rules No Smoking in Private Clubs by Julie Carr Smyth, Associated Press, via Ohio News Now, May 17, 2007. 

The case is: Ohio Licensed Beverage Assn. v. Ohio Dept. Health, Franklin County Common Pleas Case No. 07-CV-005103.   The docket can be viewed at Franklin County Case Information Online.

See our prior post:  Private Clubs Must Temporarily Enforce Smoking Ban

Posted by Sue Altmeyer

Official Text of New Cleveland Ordinances for Curfew and Spray Paint Sales to Minors

The official text of amendments to Cleveland Codified Ordinance 605.14, which imposes stricter curfews on minors can be viewed in The City Record, May 2, 2007 at page 746, page 34 of the pdf document.  The official text of new Cleveland Codified Ordinance Nos. 623.101 and 623.102 which restricts spraypaint sales to minors can also be viewed in The City Record, May 2, 2007 at page 746, page 34 of the pdf document.   For more details, see our prior post: Cleveland Passes Stricter Curfews, Bans Spray Paint Sales to Minors.