The Pursuit of Justice

September 6 - 7
Embassy Suites, Dublin
(Click here for directions)

A total of 10.75 Judicial College Credit Hours have been made available

• 6.25 hours on Thursday (including 1.0 hours of ethics and professionalism)
• 4.0 hours on Friday
• 0.5 optional hours (substance abuse) on Friday

2007 Annual Meeting Online Registration

2007 Annual Meeting Registration Form in PDF version. 

2007 Annual Meeting Registration Brochure in PDF version.

Embassy Suites, Dublin Hotel Reservation page 

Ohio Judicial Family Network Spouses/Partners program--click here for information.

Schedule of Events

Thursday Education Schedule
8:15 am	Courts in Transition: Providing the Leadership Needed to Achieve Meaningful Change Ohio Judges are facing--and will continue to face--numerous changes in the way their courts function on a number of fronts, from the emergence of specialty dockets to public records privacy issues, to digital reporting and the Ohio Courts Network. Change is inevitable and judges will need to guide their court and staff in successfully adapting to these changes. Dr. Lefever's presentation will provide guidance for judges in how to intentionally manage the changes courts will face and will discuss specific challenges which may be faced based on presentations by others throughout the day. R. Dale Lefever, Ph.D., Management Consultant, Ann Arbor, Michigan
9:15	Break
9:30	Report on the OJC Role of the Judge Symposium In January of 2007, the Ohio Judicial Conference hosted 70 judicial leaders from across the State of Ohio at a symposium to examine the changing role of judges. This presentation will summarize the activities and conclusions of the event. The law school deans, who facilitated the breakout sessions at the symposium, will provide their insights and perceptions of the issues discussed and the potential impact of these issues on the courts. Judge Everett H. Krueger, Moderator David C. Crago, Dean, College of Law, Ohio Northern University Jack A. Guttenberg, Dean, Capital University Law School Geoffrey S. Mearns, Dean, College of Law, Cleveland State University Nancy H. Rogers, Dean, College of Law, The Ohio State University
10:15	Courts in Transition: Providing Leadership (continued) R. Dale Lefever, Ph.D., Management Consultant, Ann Arbor, Michigan
11:00	Break
11:15	State of the Judiciary Address Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer, The Supreme Court of Ohio
Noon	Lunch
1:00 pm	Business Meeting Amendments to the Ohio Judicial Conference Constitution; Conference business.
1:30	Ohio Courts Network: A Status Report The Ohio Courts Network (OCN) seeks to build a statewide infrastructure for the Judicial Branch of Ohio to enable sharing of critical information through a central repository. This session will provide an update for judges on the current status of the network development and what judges can expect in the near future. Robert D. Stuart, Director, Office of Information Technology, The Supreme Court of Ohio
1:50	Courts in Transition: Providing Leadership (continued) R. Dale Lefever, Ph.D., Management Consultant, Ann Arbor, Michigan
2:45	Break
3:00	Courts in Transition: Providing Leadership (continued) R. Dale Lefever, Ph.D., Management Consultant, Ann Arbor, Michigan
4:00	Report from the Commission on the Rules of Superintendence The Commission, established in 2006, makes recommendations to the Court for adoption of new rules and amendments. This session will provide an update on Commission activities and recommendations. Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger, Chair of the Commission on the Rules of Superintendence, The Supreme Court of Ohio
4:30	What Judges Need to Know About the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct and the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct The Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct became effective February 1, 2007. This session will examine the potential impact of the new rules on the judge and the judge's role in enforcing the new rules. The status of the ABA Model Code of Judicial Conduct will also be discussed. Judge Peggy L. Bryant, Tenth District Court of Appeals, Columbus Jonathan W. Marshall, Esq., Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline, The Supreme Court of Ohio Jonathan E. Coughlan, Esq., Disciplinary Counsel, The Supreme Court of Ohio Frank Quirk, Esq., Brouse McDowell, LPA, Akron; Director, Miller-Becker Institute of Professional Responsibility, University of Akron School of Law
5:00	Conclusion of Thursday Education Program
2007 Judicial Conference Reception
5:15	A highlight of the 2007 Annual Meeting is the Judicial Conference Reception.  Due to the success of last year's reception, this year's Judicial Conference Reception will occur immediately after Thursday's education program in the hotel atrium.  The 2007 Judicial Conference Reception will still feature the same fare of heavy hors d'oeuvres in conjunction with the manager's cocktail reception, and  will provide you the opportunity to reflect on the day's activities with your colleagues and friends while allowing time for any evening plans you may have arranged.
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Spouses/Partners Program (Thursday)
9:00 am - 10:00	Coffee and Conversation: A Jolt Before You Bolt The Ohio Judicial Family Network (OJFN) Steering Committee invites the spouses and partners of judges to join them for coffee, pastry and conversation to start the morning.  This is an opportunity to informally discuss judicial family life and join in the networking OJFN participants enjoy. There is no cost to attend.  Please make your reservation using the annual meeting registration form.
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Friday Education Schedule
8:00 am - 9:15	Concurrent Sessions Session 1:  Funding Agency Panel This session will include a panel of judges and local funding authorities (county commissioners or municipal leaders) who will discuss perspectives on funding Ohio courts. The panel will examine the problems that county commissioners and judges face when they differ over "reasonable and necessary" funding for the court. The panelists will discuss legal issues, fiscal implications and techniques for resolving tensions in a way that preserves a positive working relationship between judges and their funding authorities. Panel members to be announced Session 2:  Initiatives in Ohio Courts with Specialized Dockets A number of Ohio courts have instituted specialized dockets over the past several years. That number grows each year. The panel will discuss and evaluate these programs from a practical application perspective and look at the support options for courts contemplating establishment of a specialized docket. Judge John M. Durkin, Moderator Panel members to be announced Session 3:  Current Issues in Probate Court Using a systematic and participatory approach to problem solving and issue resolution, judges will contribute probate-related issues of their choosing for discussion with their peers. This is your opportunity to bring local and/or statewide issues of concern to the attention of other probate judges for frank, open discussion and potential resolution. Judge Thomas A. Swift, Moderator Session 4:  Domestic Relations Issues Roundtable An examination of current issues, decisions, rules and related concerns of interest to judges with domestic relations jurisdiction. The session will emphasize the participation of attendees in an open discussion format, with a goal of reaching a consensus on methods of dealing with issues presented. Ample time will be allowed for questions and answers. Judge David Lewandowski, Moderator
9:15	Break
9:30 - 10:45	Concurrent Sessions Session 5:  Least Understood Branch Project "The Least Understood Branch," or LUB, developed by the ABA Standing Committee on Judicial Independence with several other stakeholders is designed for lawyers, judges and others to effectively communicate and discuss the role of the courts in our government. The LUB project focuses on partnering with state and local organizations to carry the message of importance of fair and impartial courts in our democracy to every possible venue in their communities. The LUB project is training judges and lawyers to speak to the public and handle the challenging questions often raised. This session will introduce judges to the project, its goals and objectives, instructional methodologies, media support materials and training options for judges who wish to participate. Margie Elsberg, President, Elsberg Associates, Chestertown M.D. William K. Weisenberg, Esq., Assistant Executive Director, Ohio State Bar Association, Columbus, Ohio. Session 6:  Courts with Mental Health Dockets Pt.1 The number of courts with mental health dockets in the United States is increasing rapidly. Dr. Dvoskin will take a look at the contemporary criminal and juvenile justice systems and their impact on society, the criminalization of mental illness, the role of the mental health dockets and the role of judges in establishing and maintaining a mental health docket. Session continues at 11:00 a.m. Joel Dvoskin, Ph.D., Tucson, Arizona Session 7:  Day to Day Practical Applications of Technology for the Judge This session will include presentations on the following topics: courtroom presentation technologies/document imaging, latest technology and toys, preparing for/preventing a disaster, financing technology projects. Judge Jonathan P. Hein Judge James L. Hoover Retired Judge Thomas F. Zachman  David Saffle, Director of Network and Technology Resources, The Supreme Court of Ohio Session 8:  Profile of a Successful Teen Court Program This will be a multimedia interactive session describing the model teen court diversion program which has been in operation for over ten years at the Stark County Family Court. Learn how to establish a similar program for first-time nonviolent offenders, recidivism data, and the impact of the program on juveniles participating as teen court members.  Judges Jim D. James, Moderator  Joyce Salapack,, Chief Probation Officer, Stark County Family Court, Canton Abbey Leonard, Probation Supervisor, Stark County Family Court, Canton Susan Daniels, Media Resource Coordinator, Canton McKinley High School, Canton.
10:45	Break
11:00 - 12:30 pm	Concurrent Sessions Session 9:  Highlights of the Past Term of the Supreme Court of Ohio Professor Bettman's annual summary and analysis of recent cases decided by the Supreme Court of Ohio Professor Marianna Brown Bettman, Professor of Law, University of Cincinnati College of Law, Cincinnati Session 10:  Panel Discussion on Uses/Impacts of NCSC CourTools Performance Measures Effective measurement is key to managing court resources efficiently. The ten CourTools are designed by the National Center for State Courts to provide the judiciary with the tools to demonstrate effective stewardship of public resources. The session will provide an overview of the CourTools Performance Measures and a discussion with judges and court administrators who have implemented the CourTools Performance Measures in their courts. Steven C. Hollon, Administrative Director, The Supreme Court of Ohio, Columbus, Moderator  Judge Edward E. O'Farrell Judge Gary L. Yost Mary Sammon, Senior Court Consultant, National Center for State Courts, Williamsburg, VA Elizabeth Stephenson, Court Administrator, Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court, New Philadelphia Session 11:  Courts with Mental Health Dockets Pt. 2 A continuation of Dr. Dvoskin's 9:30 - 10:45 presentation. Joel Dvoskin, Ph.D., Tucson, Arizona
1:30	End of Annual Meeting Education Program
1:00 - 1:30	Optional Sessions Substance Abuse An examination of the role and effectiveness of the Judicial Advisory Group as a support mechanism for judges with substance abuse problems. Scott Mote, Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program, Columbus Panel Members to be announced (optional; .50 hour substance abuse credit)