Appellate Law & Procedure Committee
The Appellate Law & Procedure Committee analyzes pending legislation with a judicial impact on laws regarding appeals, appeals courts and appellate procedure and reviews issues and proposals of relevance to judges. It makes recommendations to improve the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio Rules of Appellate Procedure, and relevant Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.
Civil Law & Procedure Committee
The Civil Law & Procedure Committee analyzes pending legislation with a judicial impact on civil laws and procedures and reviews issues and proposals of relevance to judges with civil jurisdiction. It makes recommendations to improve the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure, and relevant Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.
Community Corrections Committee
The Community Corrections committee provides a judicial perspective and advice on legislation and innovation in the field of Community Corrections. The committee reviews community corrections programs, policies and proposals, makes recommendations to the judiciary and provides input as needed into the planning of various workshops, trainings and forums for judges, and court personnel on the subject of community corrections, jails, sentencing alternatives or other related topics.
Court Administration Committee
The Court Administration Committee reviews issues and proposals on the subject of general court administration and reform. The committee analyzes pending legislation and rules with an impact on court administration, including topics such as court funding and budgets, court security, facilities, and personnel management and other human-resource matters. The committee also makes recommendations to improve the Revised Code, the various Rules of Practice and Procedure, and the Rules of Superintendence.
Court Technology Committee
The Court Technology committee explores new developments in court technology and policies related to it, and serves as a resource to help Ohio judges effectively use technology. Some judges on this committee are seeking solutions to operation or administration problems through computer technologies. Other judges on this committee have a personal interest in computers and have successfully applied technology in their personal and professional lives. No technical knowledge or experience is expected of judges who join this committee.
Criminal Law & Procedure Committee
The Criminal Law & Procedure Committee analyzes pending legislation with a judicial impact on criminal laws and procedures and reviews issues and proposals of relevance to judges. It makes recommendations to improve the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio Rules of Criminal Procedure, and relevant Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.
Domestic Relations Law & Procedure Committee
The Domestic Relations Law & Procedure Committee reviews issues and proposals of relevance to judges with domestic relations jurisdiction and analyzes pending legislation with judicial impact on family laws and procedures. It makes recommendations to improve the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio Rules concerning Domestic Relations practice and procedure and relevant Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee meets quarterly to establish Judicial Conference policy, to receive updates and consider recommendations from Judicial Conference committees, to review and make recommendations with regard to the work of Judicial Conference staff, and to adopt resolutions that express judicial consensus. All of the powers of the Ohio Judicial Conference, subject to the limitations of law, are exercised, controlled and conducted by the Executive Committee as they, in their absolute discretion may deem proper, to carry out and further the purposes for which the Ohio Judicial Conference is formed.
The Executive Committee is comprised of 40-50 judges. The Executive Committee consists of the officers of the Judicial Conference; the chairs of the committees of the Judicial Conference; the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio; the Chief Judge and the Chief Judge-elect of the Courts of Appeals of Ohio; the presiding officer and the presiding officer-elect of each member judicial association; the Administrative Director of the Supreme Court of Ohio; and the Executive Director of the Ohio Judicial Conference.
Innovative Speciality Courts Committee
The Innovative Speciality Courts Committee exchanges ideas, discusses issues and recommends policies related to the operation and administration of Ohio courts with specialty dockets (mental health courts, drug courts, re-entry courts, etc.). The Innovative Speciality Courts Committee is working to identify additional resources available to these courts and to develop a procedural framework in order to facilitate the continued operation of these dockets.
Judicial Education Committee
The Judicial Education Committee works with the Executive Committee, judicial association presidents, the Judicial College, and the Judicial Conference staff to develop, organize, and present the Annual Meeting Education Program. The Committee develops educational programs consistent with Judicial College criteria so that attending judges can earn Judicial College credit for participating in high quality education programs.
Judicial Ethics & Professionalism Committee
The Judicial Ethics & Professionalism Committee reviews the ethical guidelines that govern judges, advocates for improvements in those guidelines, and serves as a resource to help judges resolve problems that concern those guidelines and judicial ethics more broadly. The Judicial Ethics Committee includes the Judicial Advisory Group (JAG).
Judicial Officers & Organization Committee
The Judicial Officers & Organization Committee reviews legislation, rules, and other matters pertaining to the organization of the various courts of Ohio & the judicial officers that support them. Organizational matters include court boundaries & geographical jurisdictions, as well as consolidation & creation of judgeships and court divisions. Matters pertaining to the officers of the judiciary include policies and statutes relating to visiting/acting judges, magistrates, clerks, & other court personnel, as well as the qualifications and campaign/candidacy requirements for judges, judicial candidates, and other judicial officers. This committee was formerly the Magistrates Committee but has been expanded to include related topics.
Jury Instructions Committee
The Ohio Jury Instructions (OJI) Committee drafts Ohio Jury Instructions for newly enacted legislation and updates existing instructions as needed and required by intervening legal opinions or events. Membership is limited to the OJI editorial team.
Jury Service Committee
The Jury Service Committee examines all aspects of jury service and makes recommendations for the proper and efficient functioning of the jury system. In addition, the committee considers efforts to diversify the jury pool, methods to make jury service less of a burden on citizens, and ways to involve juries more actively in the trial process. Current projects include examining the Jury Service Standards and making recommendations for improvement. Pending legislative proposals deal with juror privacy issues, jury costs and modernization of the Ohio Revised Code provisions dealing with juries, jurors, and jury trials.
Juvenile Law & Procedure Committee
The Juvenile Law & Procedure Committee analyzes pending legislation with a judicial impact on juvenile laws and procedures and reviews issues and proposals of relevance to judges with juvenile jurisdiction. It makes recommendations to improve the Ohio Revised Code, Rules of Juvenile Procedure, and relevant Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.
Legislative Committee
The Legislative Committee meets approximately six times each year with the Judicial Conference Legislative Activities staff. Most meetings are also attended by the legislative counsel of each judicial association, the legislative staff of the Supreme Court, and the legislative staff of the Ohio State Bar Association. The major responsibilities of the Legislative Committee include:
- To advise the Judicial Conference staff and the Judicial Conference committees as they evaluate the judicial impact of legislation and respond to inquiries from legislators and others regarding judges and courts.
- To plan and organize legislative panels at the Judicial Conference Annual Meeting each September.
- To plan and publish Bill Board.
- To plan and organize the Judicial-Legislative Exchange Program.
- To plan and prepare the Legislators' Guide to the Judicial Branch.
- To make presentations before key House and Senate committees regarding the Judicial Conference and the services it provides to the General Assembly.
- To plan and attend any "meet and greet" events for legislators or their staff.
- To assist the Judicial Conference officers and the Executive Director in any communications with the General Assembly, including budget negotiations.
Probate Law & Procedure Committee
The Probate Law & Procedure Committee reviews issues and proposals of relevance to judges with probate jurisdiction and analyzes pending legislation with a judicial impact on probate laws and procedures. It also makes recommendations to improve the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio Rules concerning probate practice and procedure and relevant Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.
Public Confidence and Community Outreach Committee
The Public Confidence and Community Outreach Committee promotes activities that instill public confidence in the Ohio judiciary by helping judges educate the general public about the function and operation of the state's judicial system.
Retired Judges Committee
The Retired Judges Committee reviews and makes recommendations on issues faced by retired judges. A number of areas are within the committee's purview, including Ohio Public Employment Retirement System (OPERS) generally and, specifically, the ongoing viability of the OPERS Health Care Trust Fund, educational programming, and issues relative to retired judges sitting by assignment, and volunteer roles for retired judges.
Traffic Law & Procedure Committee
The Traffic Law & Procedure Committee analyzes pending legislation with a judicial impact on traffic laws and procedures and reviews issues and proposals of relevance to judges. It makes recommendations to improve the Ohio Revised Code, Ohio Traffic Rules, and relevant Supreme Court Rules of Superintendence.