League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund
State of Ohio March 6, 2012 Election
	Terrence O'Donnell Answers Questions Candidate for Justice; Ohio State Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/1/13; Republican Party

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and asked of all candidates for this office.
Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

Questions & Answers

1. There is a public perception that campaign spending influences judicial decisions. What steps should be taken to give Ohioans confidence that justice is impartial and not influenced by campaign spending?

Every jurist in Ohio takes an oath to administer justice without respect to persons + meaning that the financial status or others characteristics of a litigant will not influence a judicial decision. Judges also swear to administer justice impartially. Organizations like the League of Women Voters can educate the public about the vote of judges and the oath they take to dispel conjecture about extraneous influences over judicial decisions. When judges adhere to their role of interpreting law and later the legislature makes the law, they further instill public confidence in the judiciary. We are privileged to live in a country where the rule of law predominates. It is why so many people from other countries want to live in the United States.

2. Ohio has recusal standards requiring judges not to participate in cases where they have an interest. What are specific examples of situations where you think a judge should recuse himself or herself?

The Code of Judicial Conduct speaks to recusal. A judge should recuse whenever the judge`s impartiality might reasonably be questioned. Referenced instances include situations where a judge has a personal bias concerning a party or a lawyer or personal knowledge of the facts of a case; instances of relationship within the third degree of the judge or spouse to a party, a lawyer, or a witness in a case; when a judge knows of an economic interest in the subject matter of the controversy affecting the judge; or when a judge has made a public statement that appears to commit the judge to a particular result; or when a judge has been a lawyer or witness on the matter.

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Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.

Read the answers from all candidates (who have responded).

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Created from information supplied by the candidate: February 29, 2012 12:18
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