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Ohio Supreme Court is coming to Portage County

Judge Paula C. Giulitto

TRACEY BLAIR
Legal News Reporter

Published: September 12, 2014

For the first time ever, the Ohio Supreme Court will convene in Portage County.

On Sept. 24, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor and justices Paul E. Pfeifer, Terrence O’Donnell, Judith Ann Lanzinger, Sharon L. Kennedy, Judith L. French and William M. O’Neill will hear oral arguments in three cases at Ravenna High School.

Portage County Domestic Relations Court Judge Paula C. Giulitto suggested the site after hearing the high court was looking for different venues for its biannual Off-Site Court Program. She is co-hosting the function with the Portage County Bar Association.

“I’m so excited for this event,” Giulitto said. “All high school seniors in the county are invited. It’s a really unique opportunity. It’s a wonderful opportunity for the students of Portage County to see how the Supreme Court works.”

Ravenna High was chosen because it’s centrally located among the 11 high schools, and its large size can easily accommodate the estimated 1,200 students attending, she added.

The program was started in 1987 and has gained national recognition as a model for education about the judiciary. Students observe the official proceedings, as well as interact with justices and attorneys, according to Bret Crow, public information officer at the Ohio Supreme Court.

Students and teachers receive curriculum material to study before the event, including summaries of the cases being argued. Local attorneys team up with educators at each school to explain Ohio’s judicial system and to review case materials, Crow said in a news release.

The students will be split into three groups -- each group assigned to watch one oral argument, Giulitto said.

“After each oral argument, students will go into a different room and will be able to ask questions of the attorneys who presented the oral argument,” the judge said.

The cases being heard are a class action suit involving an alleged violation of the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act (Felix v. Ganley Chevrolet, Case No. 2013-1746), a criminal case involving a police officer’s warrantless use of a GPS tracking case (State v. Johnson, Case No. 2013-1973) and a medical malpractice suit (Smith v. Chen, Case No. 2013-2008).

“The cases really span the spectrum,” Giulitto said. “It is my hope that the students will have a greater understanding of how the legal system works. Students sometimes have a misperception of the law based on what they see on TV or read. This is turning into a wonderful community event. There are many lawyers in the state of Ohio who have never personally watched a session of the Supreme Court. It’s just a privilege. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

James Masi, president of the Portage County Bar, said more than 22 local attorneys have volunteered to go to the high school to speak with seniors before the event, answer any preliminary questions and help out the day of the event.

“I think this will be interesting for the attorneys too,” Masi said. “I’ve never argued before the Supreme Court or seen a case argued in front of the Ohio Supreme Court, so it will be interesting for me as well.”

This will be the 69th time the Supreme Court has heard oral arguments outside Columbus since the program began.

“Part of our mission as an institution is to educate the public about the court system,” the chief justice said in a news release. “By conducting oral arguments in communities across Ohio, students have the opportunity to observe the court in action and how the judicial branch works.”


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