Mark your calendars now for the 2010 Spring Conference of the OAM which will be held at the Hilton Cleveland East/Beachwood Hotel on Wednesday, April 28-30, 2010. By attending the Spring Conference, you can obtain all of your required Judicial College CLE including Ethics, Professionalism anbstance Abuse.

The 2010 New Magistrate Orientation is set for the beautiful Cherry Valley Lodge in Newark, Ohio on March 24-26, 2010. No matter what your practice area, there is no better way to gain training as a new Magistrate than to attend one of these well-planned events.

Chief Justice Thomas Moyer delivered the Keynote Address to the 2009 OAM Fall Conference at the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Conference Center on Wednesday September 30th - Friday, October 2nd. The 20th Anniversary Conference saw a record turnout of 240 Magistrates from around the State. To read the entire text of the Chief Justice's remarks, click here.

At the 2009 Fall Conference Banquet, the OAM presented its prestigious Judicial Awards to former Magistrates and now Judges Kathleen Romans of the Butler County Juvenile Court, Glen Derryberry of the Allen County Juvenile Court, Bruce Winters of the Ottawa County Common Pleas Court and Diane Palos of the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court.

Retired Magistrates Bev Moffett, Doug Sendry and Dennis Parish (not in attendance) were awarded Life Memberships at the 2009 Fall Conference Banquet. Moffett was the Chief Magistrate of the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court and was a Charter Member of the Association. She served on the First Board of Trustees and was the Assocation's President in 1995. Sendry was a Magistrate with the Portage County Domestic Relations Court who served many years as Ethics and Education Chair and then as President from 2001-2002. Parish, who was unable to be at the Fall Conference was a Magistrate of both the Wood County and Lucas County Juvenile Courts, serving the latter as Senior Magistrate. He also was a Charter Member of the Association and served as President iin 1996. He also served several years as the OAM Representative to the Ohio Judicial College Board of Trustees and was appointed by Former Governor Taft to the Second District Court of Appeals. He is perhaps best known for his development of the CLE Course, "The Law and Cinema", one of the most popular courses ever developed.

Magistrate Kathleen Graham of the Franklin County Municipal Court was the recipient of the 2009 OAM Education Award. Kate was one of the founding and Charter Members of the OAM, served 5 terms as Treasurer, was the Association's 3rd President, was a Fall Conference Chair and is a frequent presenter for the Judicial College.

Retired Judge Mark Schweikert, Director of the Ohio Judicial Conference, was pleased to inform the OAM that the Conference Executive Committee recently passed an historic resolution recognizing and supporting the OAM. The Resolution reads as follows:

The Ohio Judicial Conference recognizes the Ohio Association of Magisgtrates (OAM) as a non-member association, whose mission is to assist magistrates, through education and professional development, to better serve their courts and the judicial system. The Executive Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference encourages judges to sipport magistrate membership in the OAM and attendance at OAM Spring and Fall Conferences.

The Executive Committee also encourages Co-Chairs of Ohio Judicial Conference Stancing Committees to appoint magistrates to serve on the Standing Committees as authorized by Article V of the Ohio Judicial Conference Constitution.

The OAM is pleased to announce that Magistrate Greg Clifford of the Cleveland Municipal Court has been named to the Ohio Judicial Conference Criminal Law & Procedure Committee.

Congratulations to Magistrate Jonathan Starn who was declared the winner in a recount of the Republican Primary for the Findlay Municipal Court. Because no Democratic or Independent candidate filed for the seat, Starn will not face an opponent in November's General Election for a term that begins January 2, 2010.

The OAM is very proud to report that Magistrate Diane Palos, appointed last month by Governor Ted Strickland to replace Anthony Russo as Judge of the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court, has taken the bench. Judge Palos was one of the most respected Magistrates in the State of Ohio. She served and chaired numerous Committees and Task Forces of the Ohio Supreme Court and served as the OAM representative on the Board of Trustees of the Ohio Judicial College. Diane also served several terms on the OAM Board and has been a presenter at countless Spring and Fall Conferences as well as many Judicial College Courses. For these efforts, she was presented the Association's 2002 Education Award. In the view of OAM President David Jump, Governor Strickland could not have made a better appointment. To read the Supreme Court press release which contains more information concerning Diane's impressive resume, click here...

In December 2008, Odella Lampkin-Crafter, Franklin County Domestic and Juvenille Court Magistrate, was appointed by Chief Justice Moyer for a 3-year term to the Ohio Supreme Court's Advisory Committee on Children, Families, and the Courts. Odella has been a Magistrate for approximately 16 years.

The OAM is pleased to announce that the 2008 OAM Salary Survey has been completed and is now available for viewing and download from this Website. Two versions are available in pdf format, one sorted by Practice Area and the other by Full Time/Part Time. To view the Survey, click on the top link "Member Services" and scroll down to "Salary Surveys". You will need your Username and Password to open the pdf. If you don't remember it, please email us. Many thanks to Magistrate Barbara Porzio for compling this valuable information

Magistrate Matt Reed of the Butler County Common Pleas Court and Magistrate Ken Roll of the Lake County Common Pleas Court are the co-chairs of the 2009 Spring Conference which will be taking place Wednesday, April 22-24, 2009 at the Embassy Suites-Blue Ash in Cincinnati. Registration materials were recently mailed to OAM members.

The OAM is pleased to report that OAM Member, Magistrate Bruce Winters, was sworn in as Judge of the Ottowa County Common Pleas Court succeeding retiring Judge Paul Moon. Judge Winters had the rare fortune of being unopposed in both the Primary and General Election. Bruce was recognized for his success at the 2008 Spring Conference. To read more about his swearing in, click on the following article from the Port Clinton News Herald...

At its recent Mid-Winter Meetings, the OAM Board received presentations about the latest developments at the Ohio Supreme Court from Adminstrative Director, Steve Hollon, and Director of Judicial and Court Services, Doug Stephens. Both expressed great appreciation for the contributions of Magistrates to the many Commissions, Committees and Task Forces of the Court.

At its recent Mid-Winter Meetings, Judicial College Director, Milt Nuzum, and several members of his staff were pleased to report that the College is expanding its services to the Association to not only include the printing of its Spring and Conference Programs, but to also assist the OAM in negotiating future conference sites and upgrading of the OAM Newsletter. The Board expressed great appreciation for the assistance of the College Staff.

At its recent Mid-Winter Meetings, the OAM Board adopted a Mission Statment for the Assoociation. The statement reads as follows: "The mission of the Ohio Association of Magistrates is to assist Magistrates through education and professional development to serve the justice system with integrity."

Message from the President

Magistrate David Jump

November 2008  PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Magistrate David Jump
President, Ohio Association of Magistrates

THE GOLD MEDAL STANDARD

Did you stay up late at night and get up early in the morning during the middle two weeks in August to watch Team USA go for the gold? I did and I enjoyed many of the most exciting moments of the Summer Olympics in Beijing. Athletes who have trained for a lifetime gave their all representing their countries in hopes of winning a Gold Medal. Michael Phelps led the way. He set a new standard for Gold Medal performance. Phelps left China with a treasure chest full of gold, millions of adoring fans and presumably enough endorsement contracts to make him financially secure for the rest of his life.

We need not span the globe to look for Gold Medal performances. Ohio’s magistrates and judges give Gold Medal performances every day in every court in every county and municipality in Ohio. We are not motivated by shiny trinkets to wear around our necks and we are not greeted with standing ovations from thousands of fans every time we write a decision. We are certainly not rewarded with vast wealth. Instead, we are motivated by the knowledge that our work helps to maintain the rule of law in our society.

Like elite athletes, we draw on a lifetime of education and experience in performing our judicial duties. Like members of Team USA who support and encourage each other to give their best performances, we support, aid and encourage our colleagues to do the same on the bench. Just as sports fans expect Herculean efforts from their athletes, our public -- the citizens of Ohio -- expect and deserve our best performances.

The OAM is made up of nearly 500 of the best, brightest and hardest working magistrates and judges in Ohio. The OAM and our partners at the Ohio Judicial College provide Gold Medal CLE to magistrates and judges throughout Ohio. The OAM also provides resources, networking opportunities and hospitality that are second to none. The OAM’s goal is for our members to achieve Gold every day, not for our own personal glory, but for the benefit of the citizens of Ohio.

Let the OAM Board know what we can do to support you as we strive to meet the Gold Medal Standard for judicial service. That’s how we as an organization can maintain our gold standard. Although we, as individuals and as an organization, might never achieve the same glorious gold as Michael Phelps, we are Champions none the less. We are Champions for justice in our society. And we should always “Go for the Gold!”