Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Our Law Library, the Cleveland Law Library, Dedicated a Little Free Library at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center Yesterday, 4/18/17

In collaboration with the FBI Citizens Academy Foundation of Cleveland and the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, our Law Library, the Cleveland Law Library, dedicated a Little Free Library at the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Justice Center yesterday on April 18, 2017. We believe that this is the first LFL to be installed in a courthouse in the United States.
This LFL is located in the 2nd floor lobby of the Justice Center near the balcony that overlooks the 1st floor entrance and lobby. It is conveniently located between the Clerk's office and the cafeteria. Our Charter Number is 40074, and it will soon be posted to the map located at littlefreelibrary.org.   After a lovely ceremony and reception yesterday at 1:00 p.m., we saw a little girl take the very 1st book from the LFL! Seeing that assured me that it will be a success and cemented my belief that there can never be too many opportunities for children and teens to read!

This is the 2nd LFL we have created this year. See our prior post about the LFL we established with the Cleveland Public Library. 

Our Law Library Dedicated a New Little Free Library in Cleveland Yesterday

Our Law Library, the Cleveland Law Library, dedicated a brand new Little Free Library yesterday at Smarty Pants Learning Center in downtown Cleveland. This initiative was a joint venture with the Cleveland Public Library. We had a great time reading with the children on Read Across America Day 2017, which was also the birthday of Dr. Seuss! Here are some pictures of the event.

Room to Read Builds Libraries and Schools and Provides Books in 10 Countries

BBC News just published an amazing article on Room to Read, an NGO that builds libraries and schools and provides books to children in 10 countries around the world. It was started 15 years ago by former Microsoft executive John Wood, who quit his job after seeing the need on a trek through Nepal. In the last 15 years, Wood's organization has built 17,500 libraries and 1,000 schools. He has been compared to Andrew Carnegie, who built 2,500 spectacular libraries, including a few in Cleveland. Click here to read more about the libraries.

Cuyahoga County DR Court Adopts Local Rule 38: Parenting Coordination

The Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court has just adopted Local Rule 38: Parenting Coordination, effective today, November 20, 2014. This new Rule creates a new role for a Parenting Coordinator in working out disputes involving children. Appointments can be made for the following situations:

"(A) The Court may order parenting coordination, sua sponte or upon written or oral motion by one or both parties, when one or more of the following factors are present: 

(1) The parties have ongoing disagreements about the implementation of a parental rights and responsibilities or companionship time order and need assistance; 

(2) There is a history of extreme or ongoing parental conflict that has been unresolved by previous litigation or other interventions and from which a child of the parties is adversely affected; 

(3) The parties have a child whose parenting time schedule requires frequent adjustments, specified in an Order of the Court, to maintain age-appropriate contact with both parties, and the parties have been previously unable to reach agreements on their parenting time schedule without intervention by the Court; 

(4) The parties have a child with a medical or psychological condition or 
disability that requires frequent decisions regarding treatment or frequent adjustments in the parenting time schedule, specified in an order of the Court, and the parties have been previously unable to reach agreements on their parenting time schedule without intervention by the Court; 

(5) One or both parties suffer from a medical or psychological condition or 
disability that results in an inability to reach agreements on or make adjustments in their parenting time schedule without assistance, even when minor in nature; 

(6) Any other factor as determined by the Court." 

Thank You to Everyone Who Contributed to Our Book Drive with the Local Chapter of Federal Bar Association

We just wanted to say thank you to everyone who contributed to "A Book of Your Own," the book drive we helped the local chapter of the Federal Bar Association run. With the generous contributions of individuals and firms in town, we collected over 1,300 books for children in elementary schools in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District. The books were boxed up and delivered to the children in time for a summer of reading enjoyment. Thanks again! 

Ohio Supreme Court Adopts New Parenting Coordination Rules

The Ohio Supreme Court has adopted new Parenting Coordination Rules in Superintendence Rules 90 through 90.12. According to Rule 90, "“Parenting coordination” means a child-focused dispute resolution process ordered by a court of common pleas or division of the court to assist parties in implementing a parental rights and responsibilities or companionship time order using assessment, education, case management, conflict management, coaching, or decision-making." The Rule goes on to distinguish this new process from mediation. Although a spokesperson for the Ohio Supreme Court indicates that many local courts are already resolving disputes through coordination efforts, the Rules are designed to provide standards that all Ohio courts can use and promote consistency among different programs.

Ohio "We The People" Competition Gives 150 Students Experience with Simulated Congressional Hearings

On January 24th, 150 students from six high schools participated in simulated Congressional hearings at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.  The competition was part of the “We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution” state competition, sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education, which also runs Ohio's annual Mock Trial competition every February. As the state-wide winner, Findlay High School will move on to the national competititon in Washington, D.C. in April.

It is Not Too Late to Donate Books to "A Book of Your Own"

It is not too late to contribute to "A Book of Your Own."  The Law Library is helping the local chapter of the Federal Bar Association with its spring book drive to collect new and gently-used books to give Cleveland elementary school students "a book of their own" to take home and enjoy this summer.  Don't miss the chance to give local, deserving children the gift of reading! Donations can be dropped off at the Law Library through Friday, April 26th. 

Ohioans Given More Time to Comment on Proposed, Standardized Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court Forms

At the suggestion of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Ohio Supreme Court has extended the deadline until December 14th for comments on proposed, standardized domestic relations and Juvenile Court forms. See our prior post for a list of the forms and a link to review them. 

Wearing an "Idiot" Sign is "Punishment for Cleveland Woman Who Drove on Sidewalk to Pass a School Bus Full of Children

The Cleveland Municipal Court has issued a creative sentence for a woman who drove onto a sidewalk in order to pass a school bus full of children-she will have to wear an "idiot" sign.  ABC news reports that the woman, who the bus driver caught on video, will have to wear a sign that says "Only an idiot drives on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus" next Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at the intersection of East 38th and Payne in Cleveland. The sign has to be on white poster board with capital letters in black marker. This situation makes me think of Bill Engvall and "Here's Your Sign."