The Supreme Court of Ohio - Supreme Court - State of Ohio

Work Continues to Ensure Equal Access, Racial Fairness
Under the leadership of the Administrative Division, the Supreme Court continues to
implement recommendations of the Ohio Commission on Racial Fairness, fulfilling its
commitment to ensuring equal access to justice and fairness in the courts.
Chief Justice Moyer formed the commission as a joint initiative of the Court and the
Ohio State Bar Association. In 1999, the commission issued a report with nearly 70
recommendations aimed at increasing minority representation in the legal profession
and reducing perceptions of racial bias in the justice system.
The Chief Justice formed the Racial Fairness Implementation Task Force to develop a
plan to carry out the commission recommendations. Many were implemented, while
others remain ongoing.
“We are committed to working with the legal community to
ensure that Ohioans have the highest level of confidence in
the impartiality of the legal system,” Chief Justice Moyer said.
In response to the commission’s call for more information
about racial disparities in the judicial system, the Court began
in March 2001 to collect and track racial, gender and ethnic
data for Ohio attorneys through the attorney registration
process.
Chief Justice Moyer supports the recommendation to
implement a reliable system for collecting racial and ethnic
data of criminal defendants and is working with judicial
community leaders to effect one.
We are committed
to working with the
legal community to
ensure that Ohioans
have the highest level
of confidence in the
impartiality of the
legal system.
— Chief Justice
Thomas J. Moyer
The Court also addressed the recommendation to develop an
anti-racism workshop for judges. In 2008, the Judicial College
added a component on diversity and racial fairness in the courts to the mandatory
New Judges Orientation seminar. The Court also approved adding two hours of
training on access to justice and fairness in the courts — including race and ethnicity
considerations — to the mandatory continuing education requirements for the
judiciary.
Also this past year, the Court and Ohio State Bar Association initiated a program
to attract minority students to Ohio law schools. The Court collaborated with law
schools and the bar to develop the Law & Leadership Summer Institute, offering
ninth-grade students who are from underserved communities and who have an
interest in the law the chance to study law for five weeks at The Ohio State University
and Cleveland State University. The goal is to expose students to the legal profession
and help them as they complete high school and enter college.
The Court answered the call to improve interpreter services in Ohio courts with
the creation of a permanent program and advisory committee. In 2003, the Court
launched the Interpreter Services Program, which has created and disseminated
valuable tools for judges and court staff statewide, including a DVD, bench cards and
a handbook. The program also collaborated with the Judicial College to offer training
for court interpreters, judges and court personnel. The Advisory Committee on
Interpreter Services was established in 2005 to support the work of the program.
2008 Annual Report • The Supreme Court of Ohio
35
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