Cleveland Law Library Weblog

Ohio Supreme Court Enhances and Redesigns Docket Search Page

The Ohio Supreme Court just announced that it has redesigned its docket search page to add more search capabilities and mobile accessibility for any device.  Users can search by case no., caption, prior case no., case type (e.g., death penalty, UPL), filing date, party (e.g., individual or entity), and attorney. The Court has emphasized that "[e]ach case page will now include:

• Tabs that list the parties involved in the case and decisions in chronological order
• Link to register for case activity notification
• Link to the oral argument video, if available
• Printable view."

According to the court, the docket allows users to search over 73,000 cases back to 1985. The new docket search page also provides a Tab in the top right hand corner for "Recent Filings" in the Court from the last 5 days. For more information, read the Supreme Court's press release here.

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."

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. 

Ohio Supreme Court Task Force Report Recommends Commercial Dockets for Qualified Courts

The Ohio Supreme Court's pilot commercial docket project is apparently a success. According to a Task Force report issued by the Court, "certain qualified courts can create separate dockets to resolve business-to-business disputes." Locally, the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court has been participating in the pilot project since 2009 and handling cases which the Supreme Court indicates include "business liquidations, trade secret disputes, non-compete contracts, and shareholder disagreements." Other recommendations from the Task Force report include:

1. Expanding the program to other courts by setting the parameters for which courts can establish commercial dockets.
2. Requiring commercial docket judges to complete additional continuing education requirements.
3. Creating a new Commission on Commercial Dockets to oversee the program.
4. Operating commercial dockets with at least two judges.

Northern District of Ohio Federal Court Opinions Back to 2004 Are Now Available For Free from the Federal Government

Northern District of Ohio federal district court opinions back to 2004 are now available for free from the federal government. The ND of Ohio is now participating in a beta site that provides access to a lot of information from the Government Printing Office. The ND is one of 12 district courts, 2 appellate courts, and 5 bankruptcy courts participating in the project. You can either browse opinions by court and year or use a very sophisticated search engine to find cases by up to five criteria (orfields) including case number, nature of suit, party name or citation. Once you find 1 opinion in a case you are interested in, you can also obtain all other opinions and orders in the case for free as well. On hte Browse search, just click the link on the right side of the page for "More."

Court Filings Are Down in Ohio, According to Ohio Supreme Court

For the second year in a row, court filings are down in the state of Ohio. That is according to the latest Ohio Courts Statistical Summary and Report from the Ohio Supreme Court. Overall, case filings are down about 5%, with the greatest decline in municipal and county court cases. Click here to read the Court's press release summarizing the statistics.

Ohio Supreme Court and AG Team Up to Help Law Enforcement

The Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio Attorney General's office have just announced a new cooperative initiative to help law enforcement officials throughout the state. According to the Court's press release, officers and deputies will be able to search a combined database of case information from the Ohio Court's Network and data from the Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway operated by BCI.

Federal Courts Post 2007 Case Facts and Figures

On August 20, 2008, the federal court system posted new "2007 Judicial Facts and Figures" containing case data in the U.S. Courts of Appeal, U.S. District Courts, and U.S. Bankruptcy Courts for the years 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2002-2007. The data shows the total number of judicial officers, the number of cases and appeals that were filed, the types of cases that were filed, and the length or duration of cases. The data is available in a single table or multiple, individual tables. As an example, the table showing cases filed by jurisdiction indicates that over 257,000 cases were filed in federal district courts.

Ohio Courts Network is Finally a Reality

The Ohio Supreme Court has just launched the Ohio Courts Network as a new system that will eventually allow all Ohio courts and selected state agencies to share and search case-specific data. However, the Supreme Court has indicated that this system will not serve as either a case management system or case document repository, which are both functions of local court systems. Although original reviewers hoped that this system might be accessible to the public, it will only be available to authorized users from the courts and justice system. The Supreme Court's justice partners include the Attorney General's Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (otherwise known as BCI), the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, and the Ohio Dept. of Rehabilitation and Correction.

NCSC Issues 2007 Report on Future Trends in State Courts

The National Center for State Courts has issued its 2007 report on Future Trends in State Courts. This report discusses public access to court records containing personally identifiable information, using technology to improve customer service, national information exchange, increasing access to justice for self-represented litigants, e-filing, electronic discovery, families and problem-solving courts, interpreters and immigration issues, library collaboration, guardianships, court administration, judicial outreach, and judicial elections.