Lorain County Appellate Decisions for January, 2014

State v. Powell, 2014-Ohio-63 affirmed Mr. Powell's conviction for one count of rape. Powell argued on appeal that the verdict, which came after a bench trial, was based on insufficient evidence and was against the manifest weight of the evidence. Both assignments of error were rejected. 

State v. Thomas, 2014-Ohio-64 affirmed a decision of the Lorain County Common Pleas Court denying his motion to "correct" a void decision of that court. Thomas argued that his conviction of aggravated murder was defective because the determination of his guilt wasn't made by a three judge panel. 

The appellate court pointed out that failure to have a three judge panel doesn't deprive a common pleas court of subject matter jurisdiction. If a common pleas court has erred in not having a three judge panel hear a defendant's case, that error must be brought up on a direct appeal, not in a post-conviction proceeding or in a motion for relief pursuant to a writ of habeas corpus. 

Third Fed. S. & L. Assn. v. Haupt, 2014-Ohio-348 reversed a decision by the Lorain County Common Pleas Court granting judgment to Third Federal Savings & Loan. Ms. Haupt argued that she had not been served a copy of the magistrate's decision and therefore didn't have the opportunity to file objections to the decision. The Court of Appeals agreed with her contention. There was also an interesting issue regarding whether the appeal was timely. By a 2-1 decision the Court of Appeals found that it was timely. The dissent believed that the appeal was not timely.