We’ve had conversations with judges, but for this installment, I will be discussing appellate strategy with Michael Hendershot, Deputy Solicitor General at the Ohio Solicitor General’s Office. Michael has served as a law clerk for on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, a law clerk for an Ohio Supreme Court Justice, an attorney in private practice, and since 2008, with the Solicitor General’s office, where he has briefed and argued more than 30 appeals at the Ohio Supreme Court.
Ohio Supreme Court reminder: Strict rules compliance required for page limits and attachments
It happens a few times a year – an entry in the Ohio Supreme Court’s daily announcements reads like this:
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A pain worse than losing (Part 3): A jurisdictional defect
We’ve written before about the heartfelt pain appellate lawyers experience when a case is dismissed after briefing and oral argument at the Ohio Supreme Court. In the first instance, it happened for a lack of a final appealable order. In the second, the court ultimately decided the case had already been mooted. It turns out there’s a third possibility — a jurisdictional defect.
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Appellate mergers and acquisitions (and retirements): The Legally Speaking Ohio legacy
At Ohio Appellate Insights, we are happy to announce that Porter Wright has “acquired” the long-running and well-regarded blog, Legally Speaking Ohio. Legally Speaking Ohio was run by University of Cincinnati Professor Emerita (and former First District Court of Appeals Judge) Marianna Brown Bettman, who is retiring this summer. Professor Bettman announced the transition here.
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A pain worse than losing (Part 2): Appeal dismissed as moot
In our last post, we discussed the pain of a dismissal after briefing and oral argument when the court determines the underlying judgment lacks a final appealable order. Less than three weeks later, the Supreme Court demonstrates another painful resolution — dismissing the appeal as moot and limiting the lower court’s decision as precedent only to the parties “inter se.”
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A pain worse than losing: Dismissal for lack of a final appealable order
On March 16, 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court dismissed the appeal in Rachel Davis v. Tammie Nathaniel, a case in which a biological aunt was seeking companionship status and visitation of her sister’s three children, who were adopted by another aunt when their mother passed away in 2013.
Continue Reading A pain worse than losing: Dismissal for lack of a final appealable order
Five (or more) questions with a judge: Second District Judge Chris Epley
We’re pleased to introduce a new blog feature today: Five questions (or more) with a judge. Judge Christopher B. Epley of the Second District Court of Appeals was kind enough to answer our slightly more than five questions.
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Pro hac vice pro tip: Ohio Supreme Court requires annual renewal
For a variety of reasons, legal clients frequently prefer to use their out-of-state counsel for matters litigated before the Ohio Supreme Court or other Ohio tribunals. For these attorneys seeking to appear in Ohio courts and affiliated local counsel, the end of the calendar year – and the beginning of the next one – can come with harsh reminders about the timely need to renew pro hac vice registrations.
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Putting numbers behind Ohio Supreme Court jurisdictional decisions: What percentage of cases are being accepted?
OHIO APPELLATE INSIGHTS /stats
In our last feature on Ohio Supreme Court statistics, we put numbers behind the question, “How long will it take for the Ohio Supreme Court to decide on a discretionary appeal, or jurisdictional?” If you have not had the opportunity to read that post, we were surprised to learn criminal cases were being decided faster.
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FLASH UPDATE: Remote oral argument is back at Ohio Supreme Court
From April 7, 2020, through Sept. 7, 2021, the Ohio Supreme Court conducted oral argument remotely. This was done mostly through Zoom, but originally the court used a different service. I wrote a post on preparing for remote oral argument at the time.
Continue Reading FLASH UPDATE: Remote oral argument is back at Ohio Supreme Court