Justia Ohio Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court held that an action seeking a determination that an oil and gas lease has expired by its own terms is a controversy "involving the title to or the possession of real estate" so that the action is exempt from arbitration under Ohio Rev. Code 2711.01(B)(1).Appellants brought an action for declaratory judgment alleging that oil and gas leases between the parties had terminated because Appellee failed to produce oil or gas or to commence drilling operations within the terms of the lease. Appellee moved to stay pending arbitration. The trial court denied the request, concluding that Appellants' claims involved the title to or the possession of real property, and therefore, were exempt from arbitration under Ohio Rev. Code 2711.01(B)(1). The court of appeals reversed. The Supreme Court reversed, holding the trial court correctly declined to stay the action in this case pending arbitration. View "French v. Ascent Resources-Utica, LLC" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals reversing the judgment of the trial court ruling that an umbrella insurance policy between Motorists Mutual Insurance Company (Motorists)and Owens-Brockway Glass container, Inc. (Owens) did not apply to claims made against Ironics, Inc. by Owens, holding that the court of appeals did not err.Owens asserted claims against Ironics for, among other claims, breach of contract. Ironics asked its insurer, Motorists, to defend and indemnify it against Owens's claims under a commercial general-liability policy and a commercial umbrella policy with Motorists. The trial court concluded that neither policy covered Owens's claims and granted summary judgment for Motorists. The court of appeals reversed in part, holding that Ironics was entitled to coverage under the umbrella policy. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Owens's claims arose out of an accident that resulted in "property damage" under Ironic's umbrella policy with Motorists and that none of the policy's exclusions applied. View "Motorists Mutual Insurance Co. v. Ironics, Inc." on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the decision of the court of appeals affirming the judgment of the trial court denying Appellant's motion for leave to file a motion for a new trial and his motion for a new trial and finding that it lacked jurisdiction to consider Appellant's successive postconviction petition, holding that there was no error in the proceedings below.Appellant was convicted of two counts of aggravated murder and sentenced to death. Appellant later filed a motion for leave to file a motion for a new trial, claiming that the prosecution violated Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83 (1963). In a second filing, Appellant both submitted a successive petition for postconviction relief and moved for a new trial. The trial court denied all relief. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding (1) the trial court correctly dismissed Appellant's successive postconviction petition for lack of subject matter jurisdiction; and (2) Appellant's failure to meet his burden under Ohio Rev. Code 2953.23(A)(1)(b) required denial of Appellant's motion for leave to file a motion for a new trial. View "State v. Bethel" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court denied a writ of mandamus sought by Terpsehore Maras, who circulated petitions to appear on the May 2022 Republican Party primary ballot as a candidate for secretary of state, holding that Maras was not entitled to mandamus relief.When the secretary of state's office forwarded Maras's part-petitions to various county boards of elections for signature verification most of the boards did not receive an accompanying declaration of candidacy. Many of the county boards, therefore, invalidated the entire part-petitions due to the absence of a declaration. Because the county boards did not validate sufficient petition signatures for Maras to qualify as a candidate on the ballot the secretary of state's office refused to certify her name as a candidate. The Supreme Court denied a writ sought by Maras to compel the Secretary of State to send her declaration of candidacy to the county boards for a new signature verification to be conducted, holding that Maras failed to prove by clear and convincing evidence that her part-petitions met the requirements of Ohio Rev. Code 3513.09. View "State ex rel. Maras v. LaRose" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Eleventh District Court of Appeals dismissing Appellant's declaratory judgment and habeas claims but transferring his mandamus claim to the Tenth District Court of Appeals, holding that there was no error.Appellant, an inmate, filed an original action asserting that the revocation of his parole violated his rights to due process, free speech, and equal protection. Appellant sought a declaratory judgment of wrongful imprisonment, a writ of habeas corpus ordering his release from prison, and a writ of mandamus ordering the warden and the chair of the parole board to comply with established controlling law. The Eleventh District dismissed all but the mandamus claim then transferred the action to the Tenth District. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that Appellant's potential remedy lay in mandamus. View "State ex rel. Guthrie v. Fender" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the court of appeals affirming the decision of the trial court dismissing this complaint brought by the Attorney General alleging that Defendants, including Rover Pipeline, LLC, had illegally discharged millions of gallons of drilling fluids into Ohio's waters, causing pollution and degrading water quality, holding that the lower courts erred.Rover sought a license to construct an interstate pipeline that cross several counts in Ohio. As required by 33 U.S.C. 1341(a)(1) - section 401 of the Clean Water Act - Rover applied for certification for the state that any discharge into the state's navigable waters would comply with federal law. The state later brought this action against Rover and other companies involved in building the pipeline. The Supreme Court reversed the dismissal of this lawsuit, holding (1) the state waived its ability to participate in the certification process when it did not respond to Rover's application within one year; but (2) the waiver applies only to issues that are related to the section 401 certification, and therefore, remand was required for a determination of whether any of the state's allegations address issues outside the contours of the section 401 certification. View "State ex rel. Yost v. Rover Pipeline, L.L.C." on Justia Law

The Supreme Court held that the second revised General Assembly-district plan adopted by respondent Ohio Redistricting Commission violates Ohio Const. art. XI, sections 6(A) and 6(B) and ordered the Commission to be reconstituted.In the first time this issue was before the Supreme Court, the Court held that the Commission's original plan was invalid because the Commission had not attempted to meet the standards set forth in Article XI, Sections 6(A) and 6(B). The Commission subsequently adopted a revised plan, but the Supreme Court invalidated that plan because the Commission again had not satisfied sections 6(A) and 6(B). At issue now before the Supreme Court was the Commission's second revised plan. The Commission invalidated the plan in its entirety, holding that the second revised plan violates sections 6(A) and 6(B) and the a newly reconstituted Commission must adopt a new plan in conformity with the Ohio Constitution. View "League of Women Voters of Ohio v. Ohio Redistricting Commission" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed the decision of the court of appeals affirming the judgment of the district court denying Petitioner's request for injunctive and declaratory relief claiming that the application of Ohio Rev. Code 2969.271 to his conduct violated his rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, holding that the lower courts erred.Section 2969.271 allows the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation (DRC) and Correction to administratively extend an incarcerated defendant's prison term beyond his minimum prison term or presumptive earned early-release date but not beyond his maximum prison term. Petitioner entered Alford pleas to attempted burglary and other offenses. The trial court imposed a sentence under the "Reagan Tokes Law." On appeal, Petitioner argued that the sections of the statute allowing DRC to extend his prison term beyond the presumptive minimum term was unconstitutional. The court of appeals concluded that Petitioner's constitutional challenge was not ripe for review. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that a criminal defendant's challenge to the constitutionality of section 2969.271 is ripe for review on the defendant's direct appeal of his conviction and prison sentence. View "State v. Maddox" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the court of appeals dismissing Appellant's complaint for a writ of mandamus to compel the City of Beachwood to terminate special prosecutor Stephanie Scalise, holding that this case was moot.Burkons was charged with one count of interfering with civil rights. City Prosecutor Nathalie Supler moved for leave to withdraw as counsel due to a conflict of interest because Burkons was a city council member. Supler asked the trial court to appoint Scalise as special prosecutor in this case. The municipal court judge granted the motion. Burkons eventually filed a complaint in mandamus against the City challenging Scalise's "unauthorized representation of the City." The court of appeals dismissed the mandamus action. The days earlier, a writ of prohibition was issued halting the criminal case against Burkons based on improper venue. The Supreme Court affirmed the dismissal of Appellant's mandamus complaint, holding that this action was moot. View "State ex rel. Burkons v. Beachwood" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court affirmed in part and vacated in part the decision of the Board of Tax Appeals (BTA) upholding the tax commissioners denial of Appellant's claim for a sales tax refund, holding that the BTA erred in part.Appellant Cincinnati Federal Savings & Loan Co. filed a refund claim seeking recovery of $57,412.58, claiming that it purchased nontaxable accounting services or, alternatively, nonntaxable customized software. The tax commissioner denied the claim. The BTA affirmed. The Supreme Court affirmed in part and vacated in part the BTA's decision, holding (1) with respect to the customization of software, the BTA erred by failing to apply the true-object test to the charges at issue; and (2) Appellant's remaining propositions of law were without merit. View "Cincinnati Federal Savings & Loan Co. v. McClain" on Justia Law