Court decisions from across the country have implications right here in Ohio. Here is a selection of recent cases, and why they matter.
In the case of State ex rel. Burfitt v. Sehlmeyer, Slip Opinion No. 2020-Ohio-5147, the Ohio Supreme Court held that correctional institution shift rosters constituted security records exempt from public disclosure because such rosters contained information on officer assignments, officer firearm certifications, and emergency response plans. In this case, a prison inmate made a public […]
In the case of State ex rel. Cable News Network, Inc. v. Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Local Schools, Slip Opinion No. 2020-Ohio-5149, the Ohio Supreme Court held that a public school district is prohibited from releasing records pertaining to a deceased adult former student in response to a public records request. In support of its decision, the Ohio […]
In the case of Mentch v. Cleveland Hts. Univ. Hts. Library, 2020-Ohio-5162, it was concluded that scheduling, payment, and usage records for a library meeting room may not be disclosed as such records constitute both library records and patron information. In this case, an individual made a public records request for scheduling, payment, and usage […]
In the case of Mentch v. Cleveland Heights Univ. Heights Library, 2020-Ohio-5592, the Court of Claims of Ohio held that an individual’s objections to the special master’s report and recommendations were unpersuasive when the objections addressed points not initially raised before the special master. Mentch argued that the Cleveland Heights – University Heights Library wrongfully […]
In the case of Gucciardo v. Springfield Local School Dist. Bd. of Edn., 2020-Ohio-5038, an Ohio appellate court held that the nonrenewal of a teaching contract was not procedurally defective since the school board complied with the minimum statutory and collective bargaining agreement procedural requirements. In this case, a teacher appealed a school board’s decision […]
In the case of Doe v. Zucker, parents of children attending school in the New York public school system were not granted medical exemption for their children despite previous medical issues or reactions to vaccines. The New York public school system would not allow these students to be included in remote, virtual instruction based on […]
In the case of State ex rel. Jones v. Dayton Pub. Schools Bd. of Edn., 2020-Ohio-4931, an Ohio appellate court nullified the nonrenewal of a treasurer’s employment contract because the school board violated the special meeting notice provisions of the Ohio Sunshine Law. In this case, the school board’s special meeting notice failed to comply […]
In the case of Cincinnati Enquirer v. Univ. of Cincinnati, 2020-Ohio-4958, it was concluded that both outside police records and post-graduation investigative files must be disclosed as public records as neither record was protected under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”). In this case, a newspaper made a public records request for outside […]