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In this issue...

1. 2012 Judicial Preference Poll Results
2. Justice Stratton to Receive CBF Pro Bono Award
3. Security Upgrades at Municipal Court
4. Muni Court Renovation a $90M, 10-Year Vision
5. 'Hunch' Not Sufficient to Justify a Traffic Stop
6. Bankruptcy Case Law Update Compendium, 2009-12
7. Guide to Using Interpreters Under New Sup. R. 88
8. Operation Feed: "Law Firm Challenge" Results
9. Columbus Bar Directory 2013: Win Free Advertising
10. Et Cetera



2012 Columbus Bar Judicial Preference Poll Results

The Columbus Bar annual Preference Poll results for candidates running for election in the Common Pleas, General and Domestic/Juvenile Division courts are in. This information is not intended as an endorsement for candidates, but as a service to help voters make an informed decision when voting for judicial candidates.

Polling ballots were sent to more than 8,000 attorneys in Franklin County. Respondents were asked to indicate the candidate they preferred. A total of 711 votes were cast for the candidates.


View the 2012 poll results



Ohio Supreme Court Justice Stratton to Receive Foundation Pro Bono Award

Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton will receive the Foundation's Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service by a Judge, for her long-term commitment to the legal needs of the military and veterans.

The award will be presented at the Pro Bono Celebration on Monday, October 15, 4-6pm at the Columbus Bar offices. The CBA and the Foundation, in conjunction with the Legal Aid Society of Columbus, host this annual reception to thank the volunteer lawyers and paralegals who donate their time and money to provide free and low fee representation to low-income people.


More info: Justice Stratton's pro bono work
RSVP for the Pro Bono Celebration



Notice: Security Upgrades at Franklin County Municipal Court

The Franklin County Municipal Court has begun a renovation project to include building security upgrades. The Court's goal is to meet or exceed the Security Standards as adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio.

As phases of the security upgrades are completed, policy changes will be implemented as necessary. One of the most noticeable changes in policies will be the limiting of access of non-public areas only to the personnel that have been issued an access card by Municipal Court Security.

All others, unless requested or directed by Court Personnel, are not to access the back elevators, jury rooms, hallways behind the courtrooms or the Judge’s chambers and adjoining offices.


Questions? Contact the Court Security Director



Municipal Court Renovation a $90M, 10-Year Vision

The 18-story Franklin County Municipal Court building will undergo a top-to-bottom renovation that could take a decade and cost more than $90 million.

James E. Green, the court’s administrative judge, announced last week that the first phase of the project is expected to begin in the spring of 2013.

The building, at 375 S. High St. in the Downtown courthouse complex, was built in 1979.


Continue reading (The Columbus Dispatch)



Ninth District Court of Appeals: Traffic Stop Must Reasonably Warrant Police Intrusion

A police officer’s suspicion of wrongdoing based on a vehicle’s out-of-state license plates and entry and exit from a dead-end private drive late at night were not a sufficient basis to stop and question the driver, according to a September 5 decision of the Ninth District Court of Appeals.

Based on its finding of insufficient cause for a traffic stop, the court of appeals held that evidence obtained through that stop was inadmissible against the driver, and vacated his conviction for DUI.


Read more about the 2-1 decision



Bankruptcy Case Law Update Compendium, 2009-2012, Now Available

The compendium contains summaries of decisions released in the United States Supreme Court, Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit BAP, and District and Bankruptcy Courts for the Southern and Northern Districts of Ohio. The decisions described are those that were released from April 1, 2009, through April 16, 2012. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes within the briefs are from the decision, with internal quotations and citations removed. Decisions are ordered by the Debtor’s name.

If you would like to get regular updates on recent decisions, please join us at the Columbus Bar Association Bankruptcy Committee meetings where a local case law update is presented monthly.

Thank you to Jim Coutinho (CBA Bankruptcy Committee Chair) and John Kennedy for compiling and organizing this compendium.


Download the 119-page compendium (requires Columbus Bar member login)



Guide to Using Interpreters Under New Sup. R. 88

September 26 @ 9:00am • 3.0 CLE hours

Learn the ins and outs of the new mandatory rule for using foreign language and American Sign Language interpreters in court from experts Judge Julia L. Dorrian, Tenth District Court of Appeals; Alvaro DeCola, Interpreter-Attorney; Bruno G. Romero, Program Manager, Interpreter Services (Ohio Supreme Court); and James W. Lewis, Lane Alton & Horst.

Video vignettes will be interwoven throughout the program that will cover the legal background for the rule, selection of interpreters and other key procedural features.

The 3.0 CLE hour program, “Ohio Judges and Lawyers’ Guide to Using Interpreters Under New Sup. R. 88,” will be held at the Columbus Bar, September 26, and will be CLE Easy Pass eligible.

Register for the CLE program
Text of the new rule regarding interpreters



Operation Feed 2012 "Law Firm Challenge" Surpasses Goal

In order to increase the number of meals raised by Central Ohio law firms in 2012, the Columbus Bar and Mid-Ohio Foodbank joined forces to launch the “Operation Feed Law Firm Challenge,” calling upon Central Ohio law firms of all sizes to participate. Through this spirited competition, the goal was to raise 115,000 meals.

Final results are in, and between the 16 central Ohio law firms who participated in the challenge, over 164,000 meals were raised.


Which law firms participated in the challenge?



Columbus Bar Directory 2013 Scavenger Hunt: Win a Free Fields of Practice Listing

Quick! Answer 6 questions using the online Directory search features (or the 2012 printed Directory) for a chance to win. The first 20 attorneys to correctly complete and return the scavenger hunt form below will get one FREE listing (area of practice, foreign language, or court admission) in the 2013 Columbus Bar Directory—print and online.



Reserve your listings for the 2013 Directory



Et Cetera

It’s Official: New York Imposes 50-Hour Pro-Bono Requirement on Lawyers-to-Be (The Wall Street Journal Law Blog)

Congress Launches Legislative Site to Succeed Thomas (Robert Ambrogi's LawSites)

Self-Help Legal Sites No Match for Real Lawyer, Consumer Reports Says
(Robert Ambrogi's LawSites)



DISCLAIMER: The CBA provides links to various sources of information in Columbus Bar News Bytes eNewsletter purely for the convenience of readers. The opinions expressed by the authors are their own, and the CBA is not responsible for reliance on any such information.


Member Benefit
of the Month



CBA members have access to several types of insurance coverage. Members in small firms can access high-quality health plans with large group rates.



Columbus Bar
Directory 2013

Get Discovered in the 2013 Directory

$25:
List your areas of practice, foreign languages, court admissions

$125:
Law firm contact information, description, link to firm website




Barrister Leadership Program
Apply by Oct 29



The program is designed to help new attorneys develop leadership skills, connect with influential leaders, and build a successful law practice.



Columbus Bar inc Sponsors

Thank you to the generous sponsors who make Columbus Bar inc possible:

Columbus Law Library Association Fund

Willis

Columbus Bar Foundation

LexisNexis

Vorys Sater Seymour and Pease LLP

Affinity Consulting Group

Tiano & Associates, Ltd.



Upcoming Events

September 26
9:00am-12:15pm
CLE: New Sup. R. 88 - Guide for Using Interpreters


September 26
1:30pm-4:45pm
CLE: Receivership Basics & Standards in Central Ohio


September 28
12:00pm-1:00pm
Special Events: Civil War Group Meeting


October 1
2:30pm-3:30pm
CLE: Franklin County Appeals Division e-Filing Training


October 5
9:00am-12:15pm
CLE: Valuing Healthcare Transactions & Agreements


October 5
1:30pm-4:45pm
CLE: Election Law 2012


October 9
12:00pm-1:00pm
CBA@noon: Personal Branding and Good Customer Service


October 10
12:15pm-1:15pm
CLE: Tax Aspects of IRS Tax Liens in Bankruptcy


October 12
8:30am-11:45am
CLE: 24th Annual Estate Planning & Charitable Giving Update (AM Session)

Location: Jessing Center Pontifical College Josephinum, 7625 N. High St.

October 12
1:00pm-4:15pm
CLE: 24th Annual Estate Planning & Charitable Giving Update (PM Session)

Location: Jessing Center Pontifical College Josephinum, 7625 N. High St.

October 15
12:00pm-1:00pm
CLE: ONA & CBA Present: Notarizing Advance Directives


October 16
9:00am-12:15pm
CLE: Dodd-Frank & Consumer Financial Protection Bureau


October 16
2:30pm-3:30pm
CLE: Franklin County Appeals Division e-Filing Training


October 17
9:30am-10:30am
CLE: Franklin County Appeals Division e-Filing Training


October 19
9:00am-4:30pm
CLE: Masters Series: Health Care Law


October 23
9:00am-10:45am
CLE: Manage Your Mantra


October 23
12:00pm-1:00pm
CBA@noon: Navigating Medicare


October 25
9:00am-12:15pm
CLE: The Art of Depositions


October 25
1:30pm-4:45pm
CLE: Judicial Independence (Video)


View the full
CBA event calendar