There are no oral arguments posted on the Court’s calendar past August 31, 2016. So, absent any emergency hearings, this week will be the last set of oral arguments heard by Justice Judy Lanzinger and Justice Paul Pfeifer, neither of whom can run for re-election because of the age limits in the Ohio Constitution.
The Supreme Court of Ohio has many cases under submission, all of which must be decided by the justices who heard them. That suggests that from now until the end of December, the current justices will be cranking out a lot of merit decisions. Here’s a list of those currently under submission which the blog has covered, with the date of argument:
In the Matter of: A.J. Adjudged Neglected Child (submitted without argument August 16, 2106)
Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority v. State Employment Relations Board et al., 2015-1205. (argued August 17, 2016)
State v. Noling, (argued May 31, 2016)
Foley v. Univ. of Dayton, (argued July 13, 2016)
State ex rel. Cincinnati Enquirer v. Deters. (argued June 14, 2016)
State of Ohio v. Dominic Jackson, 2015-1137 (argued May 31, 2016)
State of Ohio v. Christopher L. Anderson, 2015-1007 (argued May 31, 2016)
Darlene Burnham v. Cleveland Clinic, et al., 2015-1127. (argued May 4, 2016)
State of Ohio v. Matthew Aalim. (argued April 28, 2016)
Jessica Jacobson v. Ellen Kaforey et al., (argued April 19, 2016)
David Antoon et al. v. Cleveland Clinic Foundation et al., (argued April 5, 2016)
Pamela Argabrite v. Jim Neer, et al., 2015-0348 (argued Feb 9, 2016)
Ross J. Linert et al. v Adrien Foutz, et al., (argued January 5, 2016)
Simpkins v. Grace Brethern Church of Delaware, Ohio, 2014-1953 (argued December 15, 2015)
State of Ohio v. V.M.D., (argued September 16, 2015)
State of Ohio v. Issa Kona (argued June 10, 2015)
State of Ohio v. Brandon Moore (argued February 4, 2015).
Oral arguments should resume in January of 2017 with no submitted case left. There will be two new justices on board—the winner of the race between Appellate Judge Pat Fischer and Common Pleas Judge John O’Donnell, and the winner of the race between Appellate Judges Pat DeWine and Cynthia Rice.
So, elections and mandatory retirements do affect the Court’s work.