Ohio's 12th District Court Of Appeals: No Woman Has Ever Served On Its Bench

BATAVIA (TDB) -- There used to be a picture here of Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner with Laura Curliss, a former Notre Dame University women's basketball player and assistant prosecutor in Clinton County. It had to be taken down because of a copyright issue. Still, Curliss is a Democrat seeking to become the first woman ever on Ohio's 12th District Court of Appeals, which covers eight counties -- Warren, Clermont, Clinton, Butler, Brown, Preble, Fayette and Madison. Curliss says the court has been conservative and dominated by Republicans -- only one Dem has ever been elected since its creation in 1980. "It needs diversity. The court has been dominated by Butler County. It needs diversity in terms of the counties of representation." She also said the Republicans who run for the court are far right. "We're not talking moderates, we're talking extreme."

You can learn more about Curliss by visiting her Web site here. She is an impressive speaker and currently works for the city of Wilmington as a legal aide to the mayor. Early in he career she was a law clerk for Judge Boyce Martin on the 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.

Another Dem seeking another spot on the 12th District is Bruce Carter, a Fairfield trial lawyer, who said he hopes to change the court's reputation "as the most conservative in Ohio." He said the appeals rulings are perceived as consistenly pro-business, anti-worker and anti-human rights. "I want to change that," Carter said of the court's reputation, adding that many leave 12th District session believing they did not get a fair shake from the panels hearing their cases. He did not say how he would rule on any cases, but explained he would bring an open mind to the bench and citizens would know, "At least there were people who listened."

Carter is a Dayton native who worked as a journalist before becoming an attorney. His father was a career sailor in the U.S. Navy, and Carter has represented asbestos contamination victims. His wife, Michele DeCresce, is a lawyer who has represented abused and neglected children.

Ohio's Miami University: State Rep. Tom Brinkman Loses Lawsuit To Block Same-Sex Benefits

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- A state appeals court in Butler County says Republican State Rep. Tom Brinkman has no legal standing to challenge Miami University's policy of offering health care benefits to domestic partners of the school's gay employees. The 12th District Ohio Court of Appeals issued a unanimous 3-0 decision that dismissed the case. Judge James A Brogan wrote: "We conclude that Brinkman's status as an Ohio taxpayer does not give him standing to challenge the university policy of providing health insurance benefits to same-sex domestic partners of its employees."

Brinkman is an ultra-conservative who represents a state House district that covers Cincinnati's east side and suburbs. He reportedly is considering a run for Ohio's 2nd Congressional District, a seat now held by GOP U.S. Rep. Jean Schmidt. He is term-limited out of the legislature in 2008. Brinkman has been a leader in Ohio's anti-gay rights movement, and a judge in Hamilton County has publicly accused him of trying to alter petitions that would have placed a local anti-gay rights referendum on the ballot in Cincinnati. The judge, Robert A. Ruehlman, described Brinkman's conduct as crooked.

The appeals court ruling was a victory for gay rights and Ohio's state university system. Campuses around the state offer similar benefits and contend they are a recruiting tool to lure in or retain talented faculty. The schools could have been forced to drop the benefits by an adverse decision. The case was based on Ohio's November 2004 state constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage -- Brinkman's argument was that providing same-sex benefits for gay couples is discrimination against non-gay couples. He contended they are not eligible because Miami University declines to recognize their heterosexual domestic partnerships.

Miami University began providing benefits to domestic partners three years ago. School officials say the benefits cost about $100,000 a year and estimate about 30 people receive them. Lambda Legal fought the Brinkman challenge in court and has more about the case on its Website. Lambda represented two professors, Jean Lynch and Yvonne Keller, and contended Miami's policy had no direct impact on Ohio taxpayers because the benefits were not paid with state funds.