Justice says court must reject political partisanship

CELINA - Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner on Monday said state Supreme Courts need to resist partisanship and do what is right under the law.

Brunner, a Democrat associate justice running for chief justice in the Nov. 8 general election, addressed a small gathering at the Richardson-Bretz Building as part of the Ohio Justice Tour.

She was joined by Democrat candidates Marilyn Zayas and Terri Jamison who are seeking spots on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Brunner faces Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy to succeed Republican Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor. O'Connor is retiring due to the state's age limit of 70 for the seat.

Zayas is challenging Republican incumbent Justice Pat DeWine, while Jamison is going up against Republican incumbent Justice Pat Fischer.

The judges discussed the importance of keeping the court independent, as well as Ohio's congressional voting map redistricting debacle.

The Ohio Supreme Court, by a 4-3 majority, repeatedly rejected the state's maps as unduly gerrymandered to favor the ruling Republican Party. Republican state lawmakers involved in the map-making process flouted an August deadline they'd be given to redraw the boundaries.

Nationwide, these maps are required to be redrawn to reflect population changes in the 2020 Census. With litigation still pending, the state's 2022 legislative and congressional primaries went forward under those same invalidated maps.

Zayas noted that DeWine, her opponent, declined to recuse himself from cases involving the new state legislative maps approved by his father, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

"Politics have no place, no place at all, in the highest court of our state," she said. "Much has been written about his (Pat DeWine's) failure to recuse when the district maps were brought on a direct appeal to the Supreme Court for review, despite the fact that his father was in the (Ohio Redistricting) Commission."

Brunner said that although she hopes the third map that is being used for the 2022 election cycle will be better than the first map that was rejected, Ohioans may be dissatisfied with the process.

"It's been suggested by the chief (O'Connor) - I joined her opinion - that perhaps in the future we want to go back to the drawing board and create a citizen, non-elected official redistricting committee," she said.

"But in the meantime, the members of the (redistricting) commission are members of the legislature, the governor, the secretary of state, the auditor and then you have the justices on the court who reviewed those maps," Brunner continued. "Those are your representatives, and voters have their chance now to have their say on who's going to be involved in the next part of the process."

The associate justice said she regrets that state Supreme Courts have become increasingly partisan over the years.

"Chief Justice O'Connor has worked very hard. She's a Republican who reached out to a Democrat and asked me to consider running, as well as votes not along party lines, but along what is right under the law," she said. "And so I think that attitude and that passion needs to be continued."

Brunner said she wants to continue some of the work of retiring O'Connor, including completing the implementation a criminal sentencing database for felony convictions.

She said she also seeks to establish a commission on fairness and equality in the legal system, continue focus on the opioid epidemic and improve court technology.

"There is a quiet decency about Ohioans that you can expect, especially when we come to places like this," she said. "And that quiet decency shows itself in honesty and in fairness, and in hard work and in respect."

As chief justice, Brunner said she would be fiercely independent, fair and impartial and protect the rule of law.

"My sense is that Ohioans are tired of the extremes and being kind of bantered back and forth and worrying about what government might do to them," she said. "They (Ohioans) would be most happy to vote for people who want to be good public servants for the sake of public service."

Jamison, who has served on the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals since 2021, said she worked as a coal miner in West Virginia before beginning her legal career.

The judge said she is running to help restore public trust in the legal system.

"I'm looking at the fact that redistricting is coming back… and that we need to have different judges and justices reviewing those maps, making sure that it comports with the 2015 and 2018 constitutional amendments that were given," she said. "It's really critical that everyone feels that they have equal access to the court as well."

Jamison said she also believes strongly in an independent court and that those coming before the court should have a fair hearing and opportunity to be heard.

Originally hailing from Spanish Harlem in New York City, Zayas serves on the Ohio First Appellate District Court.

She said she became the first and only person of Latino heritage to be elected to any court of appeals in Ohio when she was elected in 2016.

Zayas said she saw her neighborhood transform from a good place to live to a neighborhood devastated by heroin in the 1970s. She became interested in law as a teenager while helping her mother navigate the court system.

The judge said she would represent all Ohioans equally, be guided by the law and Constitution and serve on the Ohio Supreme Court with integrity, impartiality and independence.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.