Common pleas Court Judge Robert Nichols of Madison County shocked a crowd of local residents and judicial officers Tuesday night as he detailed plans of the little-known Ohio Courts Futures Commission that has, at one point, suggested consolidation of the state’s county and common pleas courts.

Thursday, January 20, 2000

Common pleas Court Judge Robert Nichols of Madison County shocked a crowd of local residents and judicial officers Tuesday night as he detailed plans of the little-known Ohio Courts Futures Commission that has, at one point, suggested consolidation of the state’s county and common pleas courts.

The issues are of varying opinion. Documents explaining theories and ideas already number into the hundreds of pages. And the battle has brewed since 1998 when Futures Commission members suggested reorganizing local courts into multi-county circuit courts.

Although the commission publicly backed down from that stance, Nichols and other opponents predict that Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Moyer will enact a recommendation that will force counties into forming circuits by controlling court funding from Columbus. Meanwhile, the Futures Commission denies those claims.

Admittedly, Nichols says he has taken a strong position on several matters under discussion by the Futures Commission, and has spoken out. Tuesday night, he urged all citizens to make their position known, too.

And he’s right.

Regardless of which side you take, making an opinion known to the commission or our state lawmakers is of paramount importance because the decision to change court systems should ultimately be a legislative one based upon public opinion.

Changes in how our courts operate traditionally have been undertaken by state constitutional amendment, with a voter say-so, and that process should remain.

We, the people affected by changes to our court systems, need a voice.

Think of it as a three-step process – read the documents, decide for yourself, let someone know.

Futures Commission documents will become available at libraries, or they can be read on the Futures Commission web site – http://www.sconet.state.oh.us/Futures/

Write lawmakers at the following addresses: State Sen. Mike Shoemaker: Room 134, First Floor, Columbus, Ohio, 43215; state Rep. Bill Ogg, 77 S. High St., 10th Floor, Columbus, Ohio, 43266-0603; state Rep. John Carey, 77 S. High St., 13th Floor, Columbus, Ohio, 43266-1603.