After justices decline Noe case, Resnick picks 5 replacements

5/26/2005

COLUMBUS - Less than a week after five Ohio Supreme Court justices recused themselves from cases that involve prominent Republican fund-raiser and rare-coin dealer Tom Noe, Justice Alice Robie Resnick yesterday assigned appeals court judges to take their seats.

The Blade, state Sen. Marc Dann, a Democrat from the Youngstown area, and the Columbus Dispatch have asked the high court to order the state to release uncensored copies of the state's rare-coin inventory.

Five of the seven justices - all recipients of campaign cash from Mr. Noe - announced May 18 they would step aside.

One of the justices, Judith Ann Lanzinger of Toledo, said Mr. Noe had been her campaign chairman last year.

Because Chief Justice Thomas Moyer was among those who recused themselves, the assignment of the visiting judges went to Justice Resnick, a Democrat, as the justice with the second most seniority.

She assigned the following state appeals court judges to hear the three cases.

●Tom Bryant, a Findlay Republican, to replace Chief Justice Moyer, a Republican.

●Tom Grady, a Springfield Democrat, to replace Republican Justice Evelyn Stratton.

●Bob Gorman, a Cincinnati Democrat, to replace Republican Justice Maureen O'Connor.

●Judge Diane Karpinski, a Cleveland Democrat, to replace Republican Justice Terrence O'Donnell.

●Judge Mike Corrigan, a Westlake Republican, to replace Justice Lanzinger, a Republican.