Ohio chief justice pays visit to Bowling Green

BOWLING GREEN - Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer was in town yesterday hearing more about a court mediation program he hopes to see in all 88 Ohio counties by next year.

With a $110,400 grant from the Ohio Supreme Court, Wood and Hancock counties hired attorney Michael Hyrne to help clients in civil cases work out disputes without going through the time and expense of a trial.

In 1992, the chief justice created a Supreme Court office to help courts develop mediation programs. Today, some form of mediation is available in 84 counties.