Court News
Jan. 25, 2006
Franklin County Appellate Judge Hears Supreme Court Case
Judge Judith L. French of the 10th District Court of Appeals served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court of Ohio today and heard oral arguments in a case involving a Shelby County civil lawsuit.
Judge French was selected by Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer to sit in place of Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger, who recused herself from Case Nos. 2005-0702 and 2005-0734, Doe v. Archdiocese of Cincinnati.
According to the Ohio Constitution, in the event of a recusal by a Justice, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court can select any of the 68 sitting Ohio appellate court judges to sit temporarily on the Supreme Court.
This was the first time that Judge French has served as a visiting judge. Justice Alice Robie Resnick also recused herself from Doe v. Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Judge Beth Whitmore of the 9th District Court of Appeals sat in place of Resnick.
“We are pleased to have Judge French and Judge Whitmore join us today,” Chief Justice Moyer said. “Their participation will provide the parties in the case with a court of seven justices despite the recusal of Justice Lanzinger and Justice Resnick.”
The case involves a civil lawsuit filed by an adult male against the Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati for damages arising from the plaintiff's alleged sexual abuse by a priest employed by the diocese more than 20 years ago. The suit challenges Ohio 's two-year statutory time limit for filing civil lawsuits based on sexual assault.
Judge French, who is a resident of Grandview , has served on the 10th District Court of Appeals since October 2004. The 10th District Court of Appeals serves Franklin County and hears appeals from administrative agencies as well as original actions and civil and criminal appeals.
Prior to that, she was chief legal counsel to Gov. Bob Taft and chief legal counsel and assistant attorney general in Attorney General Betty Montgomery's office. She also served as deputy director for the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and was an associate at Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur.
Archived video of this case and every case argued before the Supreme Court of Ohio since March 2004 is available at www.supremecourtofohio.gov/videostream.
For a high resolution, publication-quality photo of Judge Judith L. French, please click on the above photo or visit: http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/Communications_Office/Press_Releases/2006/french_highres.zip.
Contact: Shannon Libby at 614.387.9250.