TROY — Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon L. Kennedy was the keynote speaker at the Rotary Club of Troy meeting, on Tuesday, Jan. 21. Her speech, titled “The Work On and Beyond the Bench of the Supreme Court of Ohio.” began by describing the relationship between the court and all Ohioans.
“At first blush it might appear that we have very little in common, but the decisions made at the Supreme Court of Ohio impact the life of every Ohioan, every day,” Kennedy said. “As a justice my caseload encompasses a wide-array of cases and can include legal questions about contract terms, whether a utility rate charged is reasonable and lawful, and as the court of last resort in Ohio, our cases are the final statement on what the Ohio Constitution means and whether a statutory enactment is constitutional.”
As a result, we are all connected she further explained. Justice Kennedy then walked the Rotarians through the types of cases that are required to be heard and those cases that are heard by way of discretionary appeal and the process a case travels from what happens after oral argument, to how the majority author is randomly selected.
Beyond her work on the bench, Justice Kennedy is involved in the “Lean Forward: Advancing Veterans Treatment Across Ohio” initiative. It is a continuation of the work that former Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton spearheaded during her time at the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Justice Kennedy closed by thanking all of the veterans in attendance for their service and sacrifice, giving a special thank you to those who served during the Vietnam War era.
The Troy Rotary Club is a member-involved, goal-oriented service club focused on socio/economic issues that have an impact both locally and internationally. The group meets weekly on Tuesdays, and guests are always welcome. The club provides ongoing volunteer support to local non-profit agencies like the Hobart Community Kitchen, the Lincoln Community Center, and many others. Through the Troy Rotary Foundation, they grant funds to a variety of organizations each year. More information is available at troyrotary.org.
