March 17 hearing date set over conditions at Youngstown Municipal Court

YOUNGSTOWN — Nearly five years after Youngstown Municipal Court judges filed a complaint with the Ohio Supreme Court over the conditions of the court facility, a hearing is scheduled for March 17 to hear arguments from both sides on the matter.

But John A. McNally, mayor since Jan. 1 and an attorney, said he’d like to “put the litigation behind us and find a new home for the courts.”

“After spending the past year representing people in the Youngstown courts and seeing the chaos that goes on with the crowds, I’d like to find a new home for the courts,” he said.

The Supreme Court put the hearing date on this case today.

Law Director Martin Hume and John B. Juhasz, the judges’ attorney, are expected to meet shortly to see if the case can be settled before the March 17 hearing in Columbus in front of Andrew J. Campbell, a special master selected by the Ohio Supreme Court on June 1, 2012.

“The goal is to get it done before the hearing, but it’s a big case and it’s been around for a long time,” Hume said. “If it’s not resolved by March 17, we’ll go to the special master. A resolution can happen before, during or after the hearing.”

For the complete story, read Thursday's Vindicator and Vindy.com