Words alone won’t change Mahoning County’s courts

For more than a decade, the creation of a metropolitan court system below the Common Pleas Court level in Mahoning County has been the topic of discussion and debate. Yet, there has been no substantive progress toward eliminating the municipal courts in Youngstown, Campbell and Struthers and the county courts in Austintown, Boardman, Canfield and Sebring and replacing them with a county-wide system. Why? Because the special interests — parochial politicians and court employees, including judges — have ruled the day. They have succeeded in beating back any serious attempt to make the judiciary more efficient and cost-effective.

Thus, when we read the letter from Ohio Supreme Court Justice Thomas Moyer to Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams in which he agreed to chair a meeting of all relevant parties to discuss the development of “a structure for the administration of justice in the municipal and county courts that responds to the expectations of the citizens of Mahoning County for an efficient, sensible allocation of public funds to the administration of justice,” we were cautiously encouraged.

Our caution stems from the fact that we have been in the forefront of advocating a new court system, and know how difficult it will be to change the status quo — even with Chief Justice Moyer lending his voice.

Lethal weapon

But there is one weapon Moyer possesses that no one else does: He has authority over all the state courts in Ohio, including issues relating to the funding of the courts. The Supreme Court has traditionally sided with lower state courts in battles over the allocation of operating funds from city councils, county commissions, and the like.

But of late, Moyer has made it known that the judiciary must be cognizant of the current economic turmoil.

That’s music to Mayor Williams’ ears because he and city council are embroiled in a battle with the three Youngstown Municipal Court judges, Robert A. Douglas Sr., Robert Milich and Elizabeth Kobly, over money for new court space. The judges contend that their current quarters are in such deplorable condition that even the chief justice has said that something must be done. But the mayor and council respond that government does not have the $8 million or so it would take to provide new quarters.

The mayor announced recently he would seek state legislative action to reduce the number of municipal court judges and would push for consolidation of the court system below the Common Pleas level, rather than put city government in a financial hole.

Faced with a lawsuit from the court, Williams wrote to Chief Justice Moyer asking him to consider getting involved in the reorganization plan.

Moyer’s participation is welcomed — but he must be clear on this point: Judges, like everyone else, must learn to do more with less.