Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt (left) and First District Court of Appeals Judge Candace C. Crouse (right)

Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt (left) and First District Court of Appeals Judge Candace C. Crouse (right)

Two judges from state district appeals courts served as visiting judges on the Ohio Supreme Court for oral arguments.

Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt sat in Tuesday for Justice Melody J. Stewart, who recused herself from Case No. 2018-0444, State of Ohio v. Randy Jones, et al. The case involves whether a 10-year sentence imposed on parents for a child’s death is contrary to law.

“It was an honor to sit for an esteemed jurist such as Justice Stewart on such an important issue,” Judge Beatty Blunt said.

Judge Beatty Blunt assumed office in 2019 and previously served as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge. She received her bachelor’s degree from Spelman College and her law degree from Vanderbilt University Law School.

First District Court of Appeals Judge Candace C. Crouse sat in the same day for Justice Stewart, who recused herself from Case No. 2019-1232, Richard Binder, et al. and Gerald Butterfield, et al v. Cuyahoga County. The case involves whether hundreds of Cuyahoga County employees can fight pay adjustments in court.

“I was really excited and honored to get the call,” Judge Crouse said. “I wish circumstances were different and I had the opportunity to come to Columbus and to sit on the court and interact with the other justices in person. However, the staff at the Supreme Court was so helpful and professional and made my attendance by Zoom easy and stress-free.”

Judge Crouse was elected to the First District in November 2018. Previously, she was a partner in her own law firm. She earned her bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and her law degree from Ohio State University.

The First District serves Hamilton County and the Tenth District serves Franklin County. Both hear cases from county, municipal and common pleas courts as well as original actions in habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, procedendo and quo warranto. The Tenth District also hears appeals from the Ohio Court of Claims.