16
JUL
JUL
2
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Vote No on Issue 1
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This post comes from my friend, Rev. Tim Ahrens, a strong advocate for social justice.
In 1912, it was just called “The Initiative.”
The Initiative represented the constitutional right of all Ohioans to shape fair and equitable laws through the ballot box of initiatives and referenda. The Ohio Progressive Republican League helped establish this constitutional right for all Ohioans in 1912. Under this constitutional ...
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9
JUL
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JUL
Why is it Bishop Earl Fernandes cannot speak the truth? In the May 28 edition of the Dispatch, he again denied that he forced the Paulist priests to leave the Newman Center last year and repeated the fiction they “chose to leave.”
The Paulists left because Fernandes would allow them to stay—just two, not all four priests—only if they agreed to be relegated to the status of chaplain and report ...
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15
JUN
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JUN
Rapist case shows how court shouldn’t work
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Last December, the Ohio Supreme Court in Brandt v. Pompa changed its position on a 2005 statute, Senate Bill 80, that caps non-economic damages—think pain and suffering. More stunning is how the case brings to light the politics in judicial decisions.
Amanda Brandt had been sexually abused as a middle schooler by Roy Pompa, now serving a life sentence. Based on Senate Bill 80, part of her jury award was reduced by the trial judge.
Brandt appealed on grounds the ...
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23
MAR
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MAR
We’re seeing two trends in how judicial posts are filled, and neither is good.
The state court bench is moving away from the tradition of judges having been the senior attorneys in a community. Having practiced law for several years, they were seasoned, tested and wise. But younger lawyers are now running, and the political parties, who focus only on winning, aren’t concerned about qualifications.
In a survey conducted by the ...
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18
OCT
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OCT
In June 2021, when Catholic Archbishop José H. Gomez stated that President Joe Biden should not receive Communion because he is pro-choice, I wrote in an opinion piece, “Every day, someone in the Catholic Church’s hierarchy wakes up and says, ‘What can we do today to show how out of touch we are with our people and lose more of them?’”
Joining the sclerotic hierarchy is Bishop Earl Fernandes. ...
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23
AUG
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AUG
The comic strip character Pogo from 50 years ago had it right. “We have met the enemy, and he is us.”
Our own ego and self-interest are defeating us.
Ego is crippling. We think we know more than experts and can disregard their guidance. Former law school professor James McElhaney cautioned attorneys about letting ego—Mongo, as he called it—taking over, but his admonition applies to everyone.
Mongo is the inner ...
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17
JUL
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JUL
What does the law say about a police officer’s obligations when stopping and questioning someone for possible criminal conduct? What does a police officer have to consider before making the stop? Does racial bias enter the equation? Are citizens required to comply? How is it that sometimes these stops end with violence, sometimes a shooting? Listen to our conversation with Robert Meader, a former career police officer and commander ...
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18
JUN
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JUN
In a guest column published on March 25, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner cautioned against attacks on the judiciary because they undermine confidence in the courts. In his guest column the following week, Chairman of the Ohio Republican Party Bob Paduchik criticized Brunner being a thin-skinned politician. Can both perspectives be right?
Brunner’s guest column followed on the heels of House Republican Bill Seitz and two other ...
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16
APR
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APR
Our new podcast, “JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo”
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My law partner, John Gonzales (“Gonzo”), and I (Jack D’Aurora) have been producing a podcast for about two years. We’ve changed our image—our marketing folks call this “rebranding”— from “Lawyer Up Columbus” to “JUSTUS with Jack & Gonzo” to better reflect what our show is all about—social justice.
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6
APR
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APR