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Court News Ohio

Supreme Court Candidate Forum Goes Statewide

Image of a red, white, and blue graphic with the words 'Ohio Supreme Court Judicial Candidates Forum 2020'

Four candidates vying for two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court recently participated in a forum.

Image of a red, white, and blue graphic with the words 'Ohio Supreme Court Judicial Candidates Forum 2020'

Four candidates vying for two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court recently participated in a forum.

Four candidates for two seats on the Ohio Supreme Court taped an interview forum that is being offered for viewing by news media across the state, including Court News Ohio.

Ohio voters are able to see the “Ohio Supreme Court Judicial Candidates Forum” on scores of news organization websites, on TV broadcasts and at this link:
http://www.ohiochannel.org/video/odc-ohio-supreme-court-judicial-candidates-forum

The four candidates are:

  • Incumbent Justice Sharon L. Kennedy and challenger Judge John P. O’Donnell of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court
  • Incumbent Justice Judith L. French and challenger Judge Jennifer L. Brunner of the Tenth District Court of Appeals in Columbus.

The four candidates recorded their remarks at a “live to tape” event, meaning they appeared virtually at the same time while taking turns answering questions posed by two moderators -- journalists Karen Kasler, bureau chief of the Ohio Public Radio & TV Statehouse News Bureau, and Curtis Jackson, a news anchor at Spectrum News.

The forum was sponsored by the Ohio Debate Commission and distributed to the news media free of charge.

Kasler later interviewed three legal experts, who analyzed the session and law issues and helped compose the questions for the forum:

  • Retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger
  • Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Yvette McGee Brown, a partner at the law firm Jones Day
  • Retired Cuyahoga County Municipal Court Judge Ronald Adrine, who is jurist-in-residence at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

The followup discussion was sponsored by the City Club of Cleveland and can be viewed at: https://ohiodebatecommission.org/the-city-club-of-cleveland-forum