June 9, 2010
Third District Judge Hears Supreme Court Case
Judge Vernon L. Preston of the Third District Court of Appeals served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court of Ohio today and heard oral arguments in a Franklin County case.
Judge Preston was selected to sit in place of Chief Justice Eric Brown,who recused himself from Pickaway County Skilled Gaming LLC v. Cordray (Case No. 2009-1559).
According to the Ohio Constitution, in the event of a recusal by a Justice, the Chief Justice or the Acting Chief Justice of the Supreme Court can select any of the 69 sitting Ohio appellate court judges to sit temporarily on the Supreme Court.
The Pickaway case involves whether a provision in the state’s anti-gambling statute that legalizes a $10 prize limit for skill-based amusement machines is constitutional.
Judge Preston was appointed to the appeals court on Jan. 2, 2007 and elected in 2008. His previous judicial experience included 13 years on the Findlay Municipal Court. Before serving on the bench, Judge Preston was a municipal court magistrate, assistant county prosecutor and city prosecutor.
“I greatly appreciate the appointment as a visiting Justice, and I am honored by this opportunity to serve on the Supreme Court,” said Judge Preston.
The Third District Court of Appeals serves 17 counties in northwest Ohio, and hears cases from county, municipal and common pleas courts as well as original actions in habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, procedendo and quo warranto.
Archived video of this case and every case argued before the Supreme Court since March 2004 is available at: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/videostream.
For a high-resolution, print-quality photo of Judge Preston, visit: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/PIO/news/2010/prestonHR.zip.
Contact: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.