Supreme Court mediator, Youngstown officials meet July 28 on court facilities

YOUNGSTOWN — The Ohio Supreme Court’s top mediator will meet July 28 with city administrators and municipal court officials to attempt to resolve the ongoing dispute between the two sides about the city court facilities.

“We’re sincere in resolving this,” said Anthony J. Farris, the city’s deputy law director. “We’re looking forward to a successful resolution.”

But Farris said he doubts a resolution will come out of the July 28 session with William A. Zapp, mediation counsel for the Supreme Court.

“I’d be elated if it could be done in one session,” said Elizabeth A. Kobly, Youngstown Municipal Court’s administrative and presiding judge. “But I wouldn’t be surprised if it took more than one session. We’ve been talking about this for 12 years and nothing’s happened. I hope it works. We’ll see what happens.”

The state’s top court ruled June 26 that mediation with a third party must be attempted before it considers a complaint filed by the judges compelling the administration to provide the court with “suitable accommodations.”

The judges filed the complaint May 13.

If an agreement isn’t reached through mediation, the complaint returns to the Supreme Court’s docket.

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