On October 22, 2024, in State ex rel. Cincinnati Enquirer v. Bloom, 2024-Ohio-5029 (2024), the Ohio Supreme Court rejected the “lockstepping” method of approaching the Ohio Constitution and limited t stare decisis in cases interpreting the Ohio Constitution. The “lockstepping” approach, which has been subjected to a devastating critique by Sixth Circuit Chief Judge Jeffrey […]
There have been some enhancements and updates to the Ohio Constitution Law and History website, see link, that should be of interest to those who follow the Ohio Constitution. Cases to Watch. This feature, Cases to Watch, see link, reports on cases in the lower courts of Ohio involving state constitutional issues. It has been
Ohio Constitution Law and History Website—Enhancements & Updates Read Post »
Cases to Watch is a new feature that has been added to the Ohio Constitution: Law and Historywebsite (link) and can be found by going to the Court Decisions menu on the website. Cases to Watch identifies cases that are pending in the lower courts of Ohio and that involve important state constitutional issues. The
Cases to Watch—Lower Court Cases Raising Ohio Constitutional Issues Read Post »
During the last two years, Dean Emeritus/Professor Emeritus Steven Steinglass has written several guest columns on the topic of partisan gerrymandering, the most recent of which was published on June 12, 2024, by the on-line Ohio Capital Journal. This column, The Business Case for Rejecting Ohio Gerrymandering (link), addresses the history of redistricting in the
Partisan Gerrymandering in Ohio—Guest Columns Read Post »
The Ohio Constitutional Law and History website (see link) has been enhanced by the addition of all joint resolutions introduced in the General Assembly since the 131st General Assembly in 2015–2016. As first adopted in the 1851 Ohio Constitution, the General Assembly may propose constitutional amendments to the voters through the use of joint resolutions, which must be
Website Enhanced with Addition of Proposed Joint Resolutions Read Post »
The current Ohio Constitution, the Constitution of 1851, is the sixth oldest in the country and the second oldest outside New England. States with older constitutions are: Massachusetts (1780). New Hampshire (1784), Vermont (1793), Maine (1819),and Wisconsin (1848). NOTE: Ohio voters approved the Constitution on June 17, 1851, and it became effective on September 1,
The Ohio Constitution—A Snapshot & the Plans for Ohio Constitution News Read Post »
The Ohio Supreme Court continues to decide cases involving the Ohio Constitution. In 2023, the court issued 23 opinions that addressed directly or indirectly the Ohio Constitution. These cases were listed in an in earlier OCN post and summarized under the Court Decisions menu on the website. See link. And in the first quarter of
Ohio Supreme Court, Confrontation Clause Claims, and an Independent Ohio Constitution The Ohio Supreme Court has decided a Confrontation Clause claim based on the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in a case in which a concurring opinion explained the role of the court in addressing parallel claims under the Ohio Constitution. This is a
Carter-Confrontation Decision Read Post »
On April 29, 2024, the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) will be sponsoring its sixth annual program on the Importance of the Ohio Constitution. This year’s program, which begins at 12:30 pm and is again a live interactive webinar, looks at home rule and the nuts and bolts of Ohio Supreme Court practice in cases
OSBA Program on The Importance of the Ohio Constitution Read Post »
From time to time, OCN will post Ohio Constitutional Stories. These will include information about important Ohio constitutional cases and issues about which most people are unaware. The first of these postings is about the origin of judicial review in Ohio. The Origin of Judicial Review in Ohio Every law student, every lawyer, and most members
The Origin of Judicial Review in Ohio Read Post »