Court News
June 7, 2006
Hancock County Jurist Hears Supreme Court Case
Judge Thomas F. Bryant of the 3rd District Court of Appeals served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court of Ohio today and heard oral arguments in a tax assessment case.
Judge Bryant was selected by Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer to sit in place of Justice Alice Robie Resnick, who recused herself from Case No. 05-1862, Ameritech Publishing, Inc. V. Thomas M. Zaino (William W. Wilkins), Tax Commissioner of Ohio.
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.
“We are pleased to have Judge Bryant join us today,” Chief Justice Moyer said. “His participation provides the parties in the case with a court of seven justices despite the recusal of Justice Resnick.”
The case examines whether fees Ameritech Publishing paid to a company for paper management services in connection with the production of its directories are “personal services” that are excluded from tax. The Board of Tax Appeals determined that the services were not entitled to exemption.
Judge Bryant has sat on the 3rd District Court of Appeals since Feb. 9, 1989. The court serves 17 northwest Ohio counties, including Allen, Auglaize, Crawford, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Logan, Marion, Mercer, Paulding, Putnam, Seneca, Shelby, Union, Van Wert and Wyandot. Prior to that, he served as both a state and federal trial and appellate lawyer. He also served as acting judge of the Findlay Municipal Court and was a member of the Hancock County Board of Election.
Judge Bryant previously also served as a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio's Commission on Continuing Legal Education and has been a member and chair of the Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline of the Supreme Court of Ohio.
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 Bryant, please click on the above photo or visit: http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/Communications_Office/Press_Releases/2005/tbryant_highres.zip.
Contact:
Andrea M. Strle
at 614.387.9250.
