On July 7, 2025, the Ohio State Bar Association (OSBA) will be sponsoring its seventh annual program on the Importance of the Ohio Constitution. This year’s program, which begins at 12:30 pm and is a live interactive webinar, contains a review of state and federal state constitutional developments, a discussion of state constitutional interpretation, a review of stare decisis, and a panel on procedural and related issues that often arise in state constitutional litigation.
Speakers include Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy, Ohio Supreme Court Justices R. Patrick DeWine, Patrick F. Fischer, and Jennifer Brunner, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Chief Judge Jeffrey S. Sutton in addition to other lawyers with expertise on the Ohio Constitution and Ohio practice. Those attending may receive 3.75 hours of CLE credit.
The Course Planner for this program is Cleveland State University College of Law Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus Steven H. Steinglass, who is also a participant in the program.
The detailed program is below. Those who want more information as well as information as to how to register can go to the OSBA website by following this Program Link. Law Students and law faculty may sign up for this program without charge by calling the OSBA Member Service Center at 800-232-7124.
PROGRAM AGENDA
12:30 Welcome and Introduction
The Honorable Sharon L. Kennedy; Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio; Columbus
12:40 Introduction to the Program
Speaker:
Steven H. Steinglass; Dean Emeritus & Professor Emeritus, Cleveland State University College of Law; Cleveland
12:45 Recent National Developments on State Constitutional Law
Speaker:
The Honorable Jeffrey S. Sutton; Judge, Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit; Columbus
1:15 Recent Developments on the Ohio Constitution
Speaker:
Steven H. Steinglass; Dean Emeritus & Professor Emeritus, Cleveland State University College of Law; Cleveland
1:45 Ohio Constitutional Interpretation: A Conversation Between Justice DeWine and Professor Steinglass
This session focuses on a recent law review article by Justice R. Patrick DeWine on Ohio constitutional interpretation, see 86 Ohio St. L.J. _____ (2025) (forthcoming), in which he argues for a “clear public meaning” approach to interpreting the Ohio Constitution, and it includes a response by Professor Steven H. Steinglass.
Speaker(s):
The Honorable R. Patrick DeWine; Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio; Columbus
Steven H. Steinglass; Dean Emeritus & Professor Emeritus, Cleveland State University College of Law; Cleveland
2:30 Break
2:45 Stare Decisis and the Ohio Constitution
This session will examine the role of stare decisis in state constitutional litigation with a focus on precedents resulting from borrowing or rejecting (without independent analysis) federal interpretation of identical or analogous constitutional provisions.
Moderator:
The Honorable Patrick F. Fischer; Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio; Columbus
Panelists:
Richard N. Coglianese, Esq.; City Solicitor General, City of Columbus; Columbus
Jonathan L. Entin, J.D.; David I. Brennan Professor Emeritus of Law, Case Western Reserve University School of Law; Cleveland
Michael J. Hendershot, Esq.; Chief Deputy Solicitor General, Office of the Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost; Columbus
Larry J. Obhof, Esq.; Chief Legal Counsel; & Deputy Secretary of State, Office of the Ohio Secretary of State; Former President, Ohio Senate; Columbus
3:45 Selected Issues in Litigating State Constitutional Claims
This session will focus on selected issues that often arise in state constitutional litigation, including standing, the single-subject rule, appealability, the final judgment rule, private rights of action, and the proper raising and preserving of state constitutional claims.
Moderator:
The Honorable Jennifer Brunner; Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio; Columbus
Panelists:
Benjamin M. Flowers, Esq.; Ashbrook Byrne Kresge, LLC.; Former Solicitor General, State of Ohio; Upper Arlington
Jessie A. Hill, J.D.; Judge Ben C. Green Professor of Law, Case Western Reserve University School of Law; Cleveland
Anne Marie Sferra, Esq.; Bricker Graydon LLP; Columbus
Michael E. Solimine, Esq.; University of Cincinnati School of Law; Cincinnati
4:30 Seminar Concludes