Ohio chief justice wants new ethics policy

COLUMBUS (AP) — A U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week has given Ohio’s chief justice fuel for a state policy that would allow parties to request a justice be removed from a case.

A spokesman says Chief Justice Thomas Moyer will address the issue with his fellow state Supreme Court justices.

The U.S supreme court ruling says elected judges must step aside when cases involve large campaign contributors if there’s an appearance of bias.

Chris Davey, the state Supreme Court spokesman, says parties to cases can petition to have Ohio trial and appellate judges removed from cases, but no such process is in place at the state Supreme Court level. Individual justices decide themselves whether they should step aside.

Justice Moyer also plans to have a conference later this year to discuss judicial policies.