Ohio Gov.Jud.R. V

Section 1. Purpose; Duties; Construction.

(A) Purpose

The purpose of this rule is to establish and maintain the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial

College and provide for its governance.

(B) Duties

The Judicial College, in cooperation with the Ohio Judicial Conference, the state judicial

associations, and court personnel associations, shall do all of the following:

(1) Foster awareness that training and education are necessary to maintain and enhance

professional competence for judges, acting judges, magistrates, and court personnel of the state;

(2) Provide a comprehensive program of continuing education for the judges, acting

judges, magistrates, and court personnel of the state;

(3) Create standards and curricula for education and training programs that will provide

quality education and training in procedural and substantive law of Ohio incorporating national

standards and trends;

(4) Provide training and education in judicial and professional conduct;

(5) Provide training and education to other individuals as may be directed by the

Supreme Court.

(C) Construction

This rule shall be construed liberally to accomplish the goals and purposes of the rule.

Section 2. Board of Trustees.

(A) Creation

There is hereby created the board of trustees of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College.

(B) Duties and Authority

(1) The board of trustees shall advise the Supreme Court regarding the Judicial College

and its operations and perform such other duties as may be assigned to the board by the Court.

(2) Upon request of the Supreme Court, board members shall provide input to the Court

regarding the appointment of employees necessary to carry out the duties of the Judicial College.

(3) The board of trustees has no independent policy-setting authority.

Section 3. Membership.

(A) Appointments

The board of trustees of the Judicial College consists of the following ten members:

(1) The following eight members appointed by the Chief Justice and Justices of the

Supreme Court:

(a) One sitting judge nominated by the Ohio Judicial Conference;

(b) One sitting judge nominated by the Association of Municipal / County Judges of

Ohio;

(c) One sitting judge nominated by the Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association;

(d) One sitting judge nominated by the Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association;

(e) One sitting judge nominated by the Ohio Association of Probate Judges;

(f) One sitting judge nominated by the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges;

(g) One sitting judge nominated by the Ohio Association of Domestic Relations

Judges;

(h) One sitting magistrate nominated by the Ohio Association of Magistrates.

(2) Two at-large sitting judges appointed by the Chief Justice.

(B) Composition

The membership of the board of trustees should reflect the gender, racial, ethnic, and

geographic diversity of the state.

Section 4. Terms and Vacancies.

(A) Initial terms

Initial terms for trustees of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College are as follows:

(1) The judge nominated by the Ohio Judicial Conference, the judge nominated by the

Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association, the judge nominated by the Ohio Association of Probate

Judges, and the judge nominated by the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges shall be

appointed to a term that ends on December 31, 2017;

(2) The judge nominated by the Association of Municipal / County Judges of Ohio, the

judge nominated by the Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association, and one at-large sitting judge

appointed by the Chief Justice shall be appointed to a term that ends on December 31, 2018;

(3) The judge nominated by the Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges, the

magistrate nominated by the Ohio Association of Magistrates, and one at-large sitting judge

appointed by the Chief Justice shall be appointed to a term that ends on December 31, 2019.

(B) Subsequent terms and reappointment

Except as provided in division (A) of this section, the term of a trustee is three years. A

trustee is eligible for reappointment, but shall not serve more than two consecutive full terms. A

trustee is eligible for reappointment after serving two consecutive full terms, but only upon at least

a one-year break in service. The prior service of a trustee who was serving on the board of trustees

on July 1, 2017, shall be included in determining the eligibility of the trustee for reappointment to

the board pursuant to this section.

(C) Change of position, employment, affiliation, or status

Each trustee appointed because of the trustee’s elected position, official position,

employment, organizational affiliation, or other status ceases to be a trustee at such time the trustee

no longer holds that position, employment, affiliation, or status.

(D) Filling of vacancies

Vacancies on the board of trustees shall be filled in the same manner as original

appointments. A trustee appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term

for which the trustee’s predecessor was appointed holds the position for the remainder of that term.

Section 5. Chairperson, Vice-Chairperson, and Secretary.

At the first meeting each year of the board of trustees of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial

College, the board shall elect one trustee as chairperson, one trustee as vice- chairperson, and one

trustee as secretary. The term of a chairperson, vice- chairperson, and secretary is one year. A

chairperson, vice-chairperson, and secretary shall not serve more than six consecutive full terms.

An election to fill a vacancy in the position of chairperson, vice-chairperson, or secretary shall not

constitute a full term.

Section 6. Director.

The Chief Justice and Justices of the Supreme Court, with input from the board of trustees

of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College, shall appoint a director of the Judicial College.

The director shall assist the board of trustees as necessary. The director shall at all times be

considered a Court employee subject to the same terms and conditions as other Court employees.

Section 7. Meetings.

(A) Manner

The board of trustees of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College shall meet in person

or by telephonic or other electronic means available to the Court.

(B) Frequency

The board of trustees shall meet as often as required to complete its work, provided the

board shall meet in person a minimum of two times per year. The board may meet at the call of

the chairperson or at the request of a majority of the trustees.

(C) Scheduling

All meetings of the board of trustees shall be scheduled for a time and place so as to

minimize costs to the Supreme Court and to be accessible to trustees, Court staff, and the public.

(D) Public notice and attendance

(1) Public notice of all board of trustees meetings shall be provided on the Supreme

Court’s website.

(2) All board of trustees meetings shall be open to the public.

(E) Trustee attendance

(1) For a fully effective board of trustees, a trustee shall make a good faith effort to

attend, in person, each meeting of the board.

(2) A trustee who is unable to attend a meeting of the board of trustees due to an

unavoidable conflict may request the chairperson allow the trustee to participate by telephonic or

other electronic means available to the Supreme Court. A trustee participating in this manner is

considered present for meeting attendance purposes.

(3) A trustee may not designate a replacement for participation in meetings of the

board.

(4) The director of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College shall notify the Chief

Justice and the Administrative Director of the Supreme Court if a trustee misses three meetings of

the board within a twelve-month period. Upon such notice, the Administrative Director shall

inform the Justices of the Supreme Court in order that the Justices may consider the replacement

of the trustee.

(F) Minutes

Minutes shall be kept at every meeting of the board of trustees and distributed to the trustees

for review prior to and approval at the next meeting.

(G) Quorum

A quorum of the board of trustees exists when a majority of trustees is present for the

meeting, including those trustees participating by telephonic or other electronic means.

(H) Actions

At any meeting of the board of trustees at which a quorum is present, the trustees may take

action by affirmative vote of a majority of the trustees in attendance.

Section 8. Subcommittees.

(A) Creation

The board of trustees of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College may form such

subcommittees it believes necessary to complete the work of the board. A subcommittee should

consist of select board members and other persons as appointed by the chairperson.

(B) Size

A subcommittee should have a ratio of board members to non- board members not

exceeding one to three.

(C) Application of rules

Sections 6; 7(A), (C), (D), (E)(2) and (3), (G), and (H); 9; and 11 through 14 of this rule

shall also apply to the work and members of a subcommittee.

Section 9. Code of Ethics.

A trustee of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College shall comply with the Supreme

Court’s Code of Ethics for Court Appointees. The director of the Judicial College shall provide

each trustee with a copy of the code following the trustee’s appointment to the board and thereafter

at the first meeting each year of the board.

Section 10. Annual Report.

By January 31st of each year, the chairperson of the board of trustees of the Supreme Court

of Ohio Judicial College, with the assistance of the director of the Judicial College, shall prepare

a report for the Chief Justice, Justices, and Administrative Director of the Supreme Court detailing

the activities and accomplishments of the board during the previous calendar year. The director

shall submit the report to the Administrative Director for distribution to the Chief Justice and

Justices and publication on the Court’s website.

Section 11. Work Product.

The work product of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College shall be the property of

the Supreme Court. Unless provided otherwise by Supreme Court contract, no work product of

the Judicial College shall be subject to copyright in the United States or any other country.

Section 12. Budget.

The budget of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College is set by the Supreme Court

through its internal budget process and as implemented by the Court. The board of trustees of the

Judicial College has no authority to set budget for the Judicial College.

Section 13. Compensation.

A trustee of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College serves without compensation.

Section 14. Reimbursement of Expenses.

A trustee of the Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College shall be reimbursed for reasonable

and ordinary expenses incurred in service to the board or the Judicial College as permitted by the

Supreme Court’s Guidelines for Travel by Court Appointees. A trustee shall not be entitled to any

compensation beyond reimbursement of reasonable and ordinary expenses.

Section 15. Effective Dates.

(A) The effective date of this rule shall be July 1, 1989.

(B) The amendments to Section 1 of this rule adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio

on October 23, 1990, shall take effect on January 1, 1991.

(C) The amendments to Sections 1, 2, and 3 of this rule, adopted by the Supreme Court

of Ohio on October 22, 1991, shall take effect on January 1, 1992.

(D) The amendments to Section 2 of this rule, adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio

on December 14, 1993, shall take effect on January 1, 1995.

(E) The amendments to Section 2 of this rule, adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio

on January 11, 1995, shall take effect on January 15, 1995.

(F) The amendments to this rule adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio on February 5,

2008, shall take effect on March 1, 2008.

(G) The amendments to this rule adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio on February 7,

2017, shall take effect on July 1, 2017.

(H) The amendments to this rule adopted by the Supreme Court of Ohio on October 15,

2024, shall take effect on October 15, 2024.