Ohio Supreme Court: Appellate judges acting as the “thirteenth juror” keep manifest weight review, but must defer to jury on witness credibility. Ohio law has long recognized that a jury can have enough evidence to convict a defendant and still get the verdict wrong. That is why the Ohio Constitution allows courts of appeals to […]
The Thirteenth Juror Takes a Back Seat Read Post »
For a prisoner earning $12 a month, the cost of a co-defendant’s Ohio court transcript could be what stands between a conviction and a new trial. For 70 years, prisoners have had a constitutional right to a free copy of their own trial transcript. But they have no automatic right to a co-defendant’s transcript. When
A Transcript Too Costly: Poverty, Proof, and the Post-Conviction Clock Read Post »
Ohio woman seeks resentencing, arguing her 5-10-year plea bargain was a bad deal after a judge handed her 15 years behind bars instead. Jasmine Fay was five days from trial and facing 31 years in prison for her role in a fentanyl overdose death when she cut a deal with Cuyahoga County prosecutors. She agreed
Is a Plea Deal a Promise? Eighth District to Decide Read Post »
Today is a proud day for all of us at Ohio Court Watch and CSU College of Law. After many months of planning, research, programming, and teamwork, we are honored to announce the launch of Ohio Innocence Watch: https://oiw.csulaw.org/ Ohio Innocence Watch is built on a simple but powerful idea: justice should never be hidden
Ohio Innocence Watch Launched at CSU College of Law Read Post »
An examination of Ohio Supreme Court Fourth Amendment decisions over the past decade reveals consistent patterns in the Court’s analytical approach. A review of nineteen cases decided between 2016 and 2026 revealed that seventy-four percent (74%) were decided in favor of the State, while twenty-six percent (26%) favored the defendant. To determine whether any patterns
A Review of Fourth Amendment Decisions from the Ohio Supreme Court (2016–2026) Read Post »
In State v Reed, the Supreme Court of Ohio has ruled that a man convicted of sexually abusing four minors will remain sentenced, holding that the charges were properly tried together rather than in separate trials. Justice R. Patrick DeWine authored the opinion of the court, joined by Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy and Justices
One Trial or Four? Ohio Supreme Court Resolves Severance Dispute Read Post »
Ohio Revised Code Section 2953.32 provides an avenue for relief for citizens saddled with the stigma of a past conviction. The statute sets forth the procedure and requirements for expunging or sealing a criminal record. It mandates that an individual may apply to have their record sealed or expunged as long as the convictions are
On October 29, 2024, defendant Michael “Mike” Toney was sentenced to an indefinite prison term of eight to twelve years after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. On September 10, 2018, an unresponsive female was found inside her home, and the cause of death was later determined to be a fentanyl overdose. The victim’s cellphone
The Ohio Supreme Court earlier this month struck down a long-standing ethics rule that barred state and local judges from endorsing political candidates running for public office, becoming the first state judiciary to allow the practice, according to a Court Watch analysis. In a 5–1 opinion issued on April 2, the Court in Disciplinary Counsel
Excuse me judge, may I have your endorsement? Read Post »
In February 2026, the Ohio Supreme Court declined jurisdiction in State v. Smith, leaving unresolved a potential limitation on vehicle searches during roadside traffic stops. An Unfortunate Turn of Events and A ‘Loss’ at the Lower Court In May 2021, police in Grove City, Ohio stopped Raetta Smith after observing her vehicle strike a curb