WAUSEON  — A Fulton County Juvenile Court judge today denied a request from two attorneys who sought to close court proceedings involving two juveniles who are charged in a sexting case.

The Blade earlier today had filed an opposition to the attorneys’ motion.

Two attorneys, each representing a different 17-year-old defendant, both students at Archbold High School, filed separately in May to close the hearings, stating that an open trial would harm the juveniles' reputations.

The teens are charged with disseminating matter harmful to juveniles; one of the youths is also charged with voyeurism, a misdemeanor.

In The Blade's filing, attorney Fritz Byers stated that at least one of the defendant's attorneys did not provide particular arguments to compel private hearings other than to say, generally, that the boy will be harmed if the information is public.

“This argument, of course, is nothing more than the basic contention that the Supreme Court of Ohio has consistently rejected: juvenile proceedings should be closed because publicizing those proceedings will harm the parties.”

The hearing was heard by Judge Michael Bumb; The Blade was represented by Scott Ciolek.

First Published June 3, 2015, 1:34 p.m.