April 8, 2009
Justice Cupp Judges Ohio Northern Competition
Supreme Court of Ohio Justice Robert R. Cupp served as a judge Monday for the final rounds of the 33rd annual Anthony J. Celebrezze Appellate Advocacy Competition at Ohio Northern University.
Named after one of the law school’s most prestigious and accomplished alumni, the Celebrezze competition this year required law students to argue a U.S. Supreme Court case about the scope of the President’s authority to hold a “war on terror” detainee seized inside the United States. Students Tyler Haslam from Hilton Head, S.C. and Keesha Warmsby from Atlanta competed in the finals.
“The students’ grasp of the complex legal issues involved in this case was impressive,” said Justice Cupp. “It’s also a tremendous opportunity for them to argue a timely topic that may plow new legal ground.”
Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Jeffrey Sutton and 10th District Court of Appeals Judge William Klatt also served as judges for the competition.
Justice Cupp is serving his first term on the Supreme Court of Ohio. An Allen County native, he was a judge on the Ohio Third District Court of Appeals and a State Senator for seven counties in west-central Ohio, a position he held for 16 years. Before being elected to the legislature, Justice Cupp was a Lima City Prosecutor and assistant director of law as well as an Allen County commissioner. He earned his political science degree from Ohio Northern University in 1973 and his law degree from Ohio Northern’s Pettit College of Law in 1976.
For a high-resolution, publication-quality photo of Justice Cupp, visit: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/PIO/news/images/justices/cupp_highres.zip.
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.