Ohio Court Watch is proud to announce that we will soon be launching Ohio Innocence Watch — a dedicated public resource tracking all active innocence claims being litigated across Ohio, at both trial and appellate court levels. Our sister site will provide: Ohio Innocence Watch will serve as a centralized hub for journalists, attorneys, students, […]

On September 16, 2025, the Ohio Supreme Court declined to review State v. Shepherd, a case addressing a change of plea. Only Justice Patrick Fischer dissented. When a defendant pleads guilty to criminal charges, Ohio’s Rules of Criminal Procedure allow a defendant to seek the withdrawal of their plea either before or after a judge

In a 6-1 decision, the Supreme Court of Ohio recently declined to review State v. Joseph, a case that raised issues of juror bias during a controversial trial in Springfield, Ohio. On August 22, 2023, a tragic accident occurred when a school bus was struck by a vehicle driven by Hermanio Joseph, a Haitian immigrant.

A recent Eighth District decision overturning a rape conviction raises fundamental questions about how Ohio law defines consent when victims are impaired. Under the governing statute, prosecutors must prove that a defendant knew or had reasonable cause to believe the victim’s ability to resist or consent was substantially impaired because of a mental or physical

In August, the Ohio Supreme Court agreed to review the state’s appeal of an Eighth District Court of Appeals decision concerning firearm enhancements and the trial court’s authority to determine the appropriate sentence for a criminal defendant. With only Justices Jennifer Brunner and Joseph Deters dissenting, the Court may very well alter the current power

The Supreme Court of Ohio recently agreed to review a case addressing whether the signal of a drug-sniffing dog that jumped up to a car window during a traffic stop can be used as probable cause to search a car for drugs. Justices Pat DeWine, Joe Deters, and Megan E. Shanahan dissented, indicating they would