Supreme Court Administrative Offices

The Administrative Division is the lead division of the court and consists of the Office of the Administrative Director.

Administrative Director of the Court: Robert W. Horner III, Esq.

The Administrative Director of the court is a position created under the Ohio Constitution. The Administrative Director is the senior non-elected officer of the court who assists the Chief Justice, the Justices of the court, the Ohio Judicial Conference, and the judges of the state, in developing and communicating the long-term vision, values and direction of the court and the judicial branch of Ohio government.

The Office of the Administrative Director also assists in the development of emerging issues, including providing staff support for special projects, initiatives, and task forces. The office also develops and maintains relationships with the General Assembly, and monitors legislative activity on matters of interest to the court and the judicial branch.

Deputy Administrative Director, Operations: James Cappelli

Office of Building Services
Director, Building Services: Ryan Fahle

Events & Education Section
Deputy Director, Events & Education: Chris Lozan

The Events and Education Section includes education programming and outreach efforts for visitors to the building and the public at large. These efforts include conducting tours of the building and the Visitor Education Center, coordinating the Off-Site Court program, providing assistance to the Judicial Family Network, working with international visitor groups, organizing special events, developing the court’s art collection, and increasing the court’s historical resources. The section is also responsible for scheduling, coordinating and providing services for meetings, conferences and events held at the Moyer Judicial Center, including food service, special events, and rentals of the facility. Additionally, the section oversees the Mail Center, which handles all postal functions for the court and all tenants of the Moyer Judicial Center. This service entails mail pick-up from the Unites States Post Office each day, and the pick-up and delivery of mail throughout the facility. The section also oversees the operation of the Records Management Program.

Facilities Section
Deputy Director, Facilities: Rick Stout

The Facilities Section is responsible for operating the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center at 65 South Front Street in Columbus, which is the home of the Supreme Court. The section is responsible for providing tenant services by supervising and monitoring the daily activities of the section. The section oversees the maintenance and infrastructure of the Moyer Judicial Center, including maintaining the building's electrical, mechanical, plumbing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems. It also includes monitoring utility services, coordinating elevator service, maintenance and repair, and supervising construction, remodeling and minor repair projects. Additionally, the section oversees housekeeping and grounds work, including providing in-house and contracted janitorial services, contracted window cleaning, supervising refuse collection, treating and maintaining historic precious metals and wood finishes, and providing grounds-keeping services for the landscaping, plazas, and fountains of the facility.

Security Section
Deputy Director, Court Security: Chris Luginbuhl

The Security Section is responsible for coordinating security services for the Moyer Judicial Center and the court's staff. The section maintains a security force and monitors the admission of staff and the public into the facility by employing the assistance of magnetometers and x-ray machines at each entrance, and managing the loading dock. The section also provides life safety services by developing and maintaining working relationships with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Columbus Police Department, and the Columbus Fire Department. In addition, the section maintains 24-hour surveillance of the building, provides defibrillators throughout the facility, and maintains the court's vehicle fleet. The section also provides consulting services and leadership to other courts throughout the state on security and emergency preparedness issues.

Office of Human Resources
Director, Human Resources: Michele Jakubowski

The Office of Human Resources is responsible for implementing the employment policies of the court, including coordinating the employment process, maintaining position and salary classifications, supervising performance evaluations, providing staff training programs, and assuring that the court complies with all federal and state employment laws. The office also provides payroll services for over 250 members of court staff, over 250 employees of all the courts of appeals of the state, over 700 judges, and the 88 elected county clerks of court.

Office of Information Technology
Director, Information Technology: Robert Stuart

The Office of Information Technology is responsible for the operation of the Court’s information technology systems and processes, including the development and maintenance of the Court’s computer networks, internet services, personal computers, internal business applications, databases, end-user software programs, web-based service applications, copiers, telephony services, cyber-security protections, IT disaster recovery solutions, and audiovisual technologies.

The Office of Information Technology is also responsible for the development and operation of the Ohio Courts Network (OCN), an online criminal justice information exchange system that provides all Ohio courts and justice-system partners access to justice systems data necessary for critical decision making. The OCN is accessed by thousands of users daily for services such as investigations, background checks, criminal history reviews, driving record reviews, guardian/foster care decisions, and protection orders to name a few.

The Office of Information Technology works with the Commission on Technology and the Courts, and the Director serves as staff liaison to the Commission. The Commission’s primary responsibilities are to foster awareness of technology issues affecting Ohio courts and to provide input on the development, governance and use of technologies and systems including the Ohio Courts Network.

The division also facilitates the exchange of technology related ideas and solutions among the courts of the state by soliciting input from other courts on technology issues or problems and sharing best-practice solutions.

Application Development Section
Deputy Director, Application Development: Jason Monroe

The Application Develop Section is a team of computer programmers and database analysts responsible for the analysis, design, development and maintenance of the Court’s internal and external business-related software applications and computer systems. Working with the other IT sections, the team’s primary objective is to translate user needs and requirements into functional software solutions.

Project Management Section
Deputy Director, Project Management: Randall Drum

The Project Management Section provides project management services to the IT Office and other Court offices. The services include applying standardized project management methodologies, best practices, and resources to ensure projects are aligned with strategic goals and executed efficiently. The section helps to create, maintain, and enforce project management standards, support business team leaders, perform quality control testing on systems and applications, and track project progress.

Network & Technology Resources Section
Deputy Director, Network & Technology Resources: Jeff Campbell

The Network & Technology section is responsible for building and maintaining the physical and logical infrastructure that supports the Court’s technology needs. This includes managing hardware, software, networks, PCs, and other resources to ensure reliable and secure IT services. The section includes a team of network and computer system administrators, and the IT help desk technicians and support staff.

Office of the Law Library
Director, Erin Waltz

With a collection of over 400,000 equivalent volumes, the Law Library is one of the largest state Supreme Court law libraries in the nation. The Law Library has a comprehensive collection of Ohio, federal and other state laws. It has a core collection of international and foreign law. The library's most notable and in-depth collections are its treatises and practice books, legal periodicals and microforms.

In addition to providing library services to the Justices and court staff, the Law Library also serves the need for legal information and materials for the state legislature, state administrative agencies, attorneys and the general public. The Law Library provides a full range of services to patrons, and is the primary law library for all state agencies located in Columbus.

Office of Public Information
Director, Public Information: Andy Ellinger

The Office of Public Information is responsible for providing a continuing program of information to the public and the media concerning the decisions and operation of the court. This includes issuing daily announcements of court decisions, providing summaries of court opinions and other media releases, issuing court publications, and maintaining the court's websites at www.supremecourt.ohio.gov, and www.courtnewsohio.gov. In addition, the office is the primary point of contact for media inquiries to the Court, notifying the media of court actions, explaining procedural and administrative matters, facilitating greater understanding of the Court and the Ohio judiciary among local, state and national media. The office oversees the Print Production Center which provides copy and print services for the Court. The office is also responsible for responding to constituents and coordinating public records requests with the Office of the Chief Legal Officer.

Deputy Administrative Director, Legal Services: Gina Palmer, Esq.

Office of Court Services
Director, Court Services: Stephanie Nelson, Esq.

The Office of Court Services provides multiple programs and services to judges and courts, both trial and appellate, throughout the state.

Case Management Section
Manager, Christopher Geocaris, Esq.

The Case Management Section provides resources, consulting services and educational instruction to judges and court personnel throughout Ohio regarding case flow management and delay reduction. The section is assisted by the Advisory Committee on Case Management.

Dispute Resolution Section
Manager, Marya Kolman, Esq.

The purpose of the Dispute Resolution Section is to promote statewide rules and uniform standards concerning dispute resolution programs; develop and deliver innovative dispute resolution services to Ohio courts sponsor training programs for judges, court personnel, and dispute resolution professionals; and provide mediation for Supreme Court litigants, Court of Claims litigants, and Ohio public officials. The Section receives advice from and provides assistance to the Commission on Dispute Resolution.

Children & Families Section
Manager, Kyana Pierson, Esq.

The Children & Families Section provides resources, programs, trainings, and educational assistance to domestic relations, probate, and juvenile courts throughout the state on matters that involve the interaction of children and families with the judicial system. The assistance provided deals with a variety of family and legal issues. The Section is assisted by the Advisory Committee on Children & Families.

Language Services Section
Manager, Bruno Romero

The Language Services Section is designed to provide assistance to judges and courts statewide on the issue of foreign language interpretation. The court created the section upon joining the Consortium for State Court Interpreter Certification in June 2003. The section is designed to serve as a resource center on the issue for the judicial branch of Ohio government. The Language Services Section is assisted by the Advisory Committee on Language Services.

Specialized Dockets Section
Manager, Sam Campbell, Esq.

The Specialized Dockets Section provides assistance to judges and court personnel throughout the state regarding drug court programs, mental health court programs and other specialized dockets involving diversionary and treatment alternatives to incarceration. The section works with various interested governmental and private agencies in meeting its responsibilities, such as the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addition (ODADAS) and the Drug Court Practitioners Network. The section also receives advice from and provides assistance to the Commission on Specialized Dockets.

Statistics Section
Manager, Brian Farrington

The Statistics Section collects, analyzes, and reports data on the operations of Ohio’s trial and appellate courts, supporting transparency, performance improvement, and informed judicial administration. The Section provides courts with technical assistance in statistical reporting, develops tools to monitor compliance with caseload reporting standards, and produces public-facing dashboards and internal analytics to guide court management decisions. The Section also supports the work of Supreme Court boards, commissions, advisory committees, and task forces on special projects involving policy evaluation.

Office of the Clerk
Clerk of the Court, Robert Vaughn, Esq.

The Office of the Clerk is charged with supervising the filing of all case-related items, and the maintenance of all case files in matters pending before the court. In performing this role the office works closely with the attorneys of record, and coordinates its efforts with the clerks of the trial and appellate courts from where the cases originate. The office is also responsible for the preparation of all entries regarding rulings by the court, maintaining the dockets and index of cases pending before the court, and issuing necessary writs and process.

Office of Attorney Admissions & Compliance
Director, Attorney Admissions & Compliance: Michel Jendretzky, Esq.

The Office of Attorney Admissions and Compliance oversees implementation of the Court’s policies and directives, issued pursuant to its constitutional authority, governing admission to and regulation of the practice of law in Ohio.

The office coordinates the efforts of the Attorney Services Section and Bar Admissions Section, as well as the various boards, commissions, and committees involving admission to and the regulation of the practice of law in the state. These groups include the Board on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, Board of Bar Examiners, Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness, Commission on Continuing Legal Education, Commission on Professionalism, the Commission on Appointment of Counsel for Defendants in Capital Cases, and Commission on Certification of Attorneys as Specialists. The office also maintains relationships with the disciplinary-related offices of the court including the Office of Disciplinary Counsel, the Board of Professional Conduct, the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection, and the various bar-related organizations of the state.

Attorney Services Section
Deputy Director, Attorney Services: Bradley Martinez, Esq.

The Attorney Services Section oversees the attorney registration and continuing legal education processes for Ohio attorneys. Ohio attorneys must register with the Court every two years. The process is undertaken pursuant to the authority of Gov. Bar R. VI. There are over 47,100 attorneys registered, with more than 41,000 registered for active status; over 2,300 registered as inactive; and approximately 500 who are admitted to practice in other states, but registered for corporate counsel status in Ohio. In addition, over 2,800 attorneys are registered as retired or resigned. The Attorney Services Section processes and issues more than 3,500 certificates of good standing each year.

The section also administers the continuing legal education program review process and oversees attorney compliance with continuing legal education requirements. Under rules adopted by the Court, all members of the Ohio bar must complete at least 24 hours of continuing legal education and all judges must complete at least 40 hours of continuing legal education every two years. The section processes more than 25,000 program applications per year and, on behalf of the Commission on Continuing Legal Education, determines whether the proposed programming satisfies the requirements for continuing legal education in Ohio. Also for the Commission on Continuing Legal Education, the section verifies continuing legal education compliance for more than 20,000 Ohio attorneys each year and processes sanctions and suspensions for failure to comply.

Bar Admissions Section
Deputy Director, Bar Admissions: Tiffany Kline, Esq.

The Bar Admissions Section oversees all processes related to one’s admission to the practice of law in Ohio. The Court is responsible for regulating the admission of applicants to the practice of law pursuant to Section 2(B)(1)(g), Article IV, of the Ohio Constitution. The Bar Admissions Section assists the Court in exercising that responsibility. The Court administers two bar examinations each year, one in February and one in July, and conducts bar admissions ceremonies in May and November. The section also processes applications for legal intern certificates, admission by motion, UBE score transfer from other jurisdictions, and other methods of admission permitted by the Court.  For this work, the section works closely with and on behalf of the Board of Bar Examiners and the Board of Commissioners on Character and Fitness.

Office of the Judicial College
Director, Christy Tull

The Supreme Court of Ohio Judicial College is governed by Gov. Jud. R. V. The Judicial College provides continuing legal and professional education for judges, magistrates, acting judges, and non-judicial court personnel to ensure the effective administration of justice for all Ohioans. In addition, the Judicial College offers education opportunities for guardians ad litem and guardians of adults. Working in partnership with all state judicial associations, the Judicial College provides continuing legal education for its members. The oversight body for the Judicial College is the Judicial College Board of Trustees.

Office of the Reporter
Reporter of Decisions, Douglas M. Nelson, Esq.

The Office of the Reporter is responsible for publishing the opinions, announcements, entries, miscellaneous orders, and rules of the court in the Ohio Official Reports and on the court’s website at www.supremecourt.ohio.gov. The office also publishes all Ohio appellate opinions on the court’s website.

Office of Legal Resources
Director, Legal Resources: Diane Richards Brey, Esq.

The Office of Legal Resources is responsible for assisting the Justices of the court in researching complex legal issues and preparing written analyses of those issues for review by the court, particularly in matters involving workers' compensation, public utilities, taxation, death penalty, attorney discipline and extraordinary writs.

Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer, Ronda Carver, C.P.A., C.F.E., CFP®

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer is responsible for implementing the court's budget, including the payment of the salaries of the judges of the state. The office also processes purchase requisitions and payment vouchers, completes an annual inventory, prepares budget reports and forecasts, and assists the court in managing over $220 million in the Supreme Court/Judiciary budget.

Office of the Chief Legal Officer
Chief Legal Officer, Richard Schuster, Esq.

The Office of the Chief Legal Officer is responsible for assisting the Court and the Office of the Administrative Director with legal, government relations, and policy matters. The Chief Legal Officer provides advice on general legal matters affecting the administrative operation of the Supreme Court and the judges and courts of Ohio. The office develops and maintains relationships with the General Assembly, and monitors legislative activity on matters of interest to the court and the judicial branch. The office also provides staff assistance to the Commission on the Rules of Superintendence, the Commission on Rules of Practice and Procedure, and follow-up monitoring to the Ohio Courts Futures Commission and the Ohio Commission on Racial Fairness. Finally, the office administers the Judicial Assignment Program of the Chief Justice, who is authorized by the state constitution to assign sitting and retired judges to temporarily preside in Ohio courts.

The Court has the constitutional responsibility to oversee the practice of law in the state, and as a result, has developed one of the most comprehensive disciplinary systems of any state in the nation. The court has established three offices to exercise independent responsibility in assisting the court in meeting its responsibility as set forth in Section 5(B), Article IV of the Ohio Constitution.

Office of Disciplinary Counsel
Disciplinary Counsel, Joseph Caligiuri, Esq.

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel investigates and prosecutes allegations of misconduct against lawyers and judges throughout the state before the Board of Professional Conduct.

Board of Professional Conduct
Director, Board of Professional Conduct: Richard A. Dove, Esq.

The Board of Professional Conduct of the Supreme Court is established by Gov. Bar R. V and is charged with administering, interpreting, and enforcing that rule and Jud. Rule II, which deal with lawyer and judge discipline. The Board hears all formal disciplinary charges filed against Ohio's judges and lawyers and recommends sanctions to the court for unethical conduct. The Board consists of 28 members, including 17 lawyers, seven active or voluntarily retired judges and four non-lawyers. The Director, an attorney, is appointed by the Board. The Board also appoints Disciplinary Counsel, which is the office that is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of allegations of misconduct against lawyers and judges. Since 1995, three-person hearing panels also conduct hearings on judicial campaign grievances under Canon 7 and recommend sanctions to the Supreme Court.

Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection
Administrator, Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection: Janet Green Marbley, Esq.

The Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection is established by Rule VIII of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio to administer the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. The Board determines the eligibility of claims filed with the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection and pays reparations of up to $75,000 to those who are harmed by the misconduct of lawyers. The Fund was established in 1985 and is funded from attorney registration fees.

Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission
Director, Melissa Knopp, Esq.

In 1990, the General Assembly created the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission by statute. The Commission is chaired by the Chief Justice. It is responsible for conducting a review of Ohio's sentencing statutes and sentencing patterns and making recommendations regarding necessary statutory changes. The Commission consists of 31 members, 10 of whom are judges appointed by the Chief Justice. A report issued by the Committee to the Governor and the General Assembly in 1993 resulted in Senate Bill 2, the most comprehensive revision of criminal sentencing statutes in over 20 years.