Case Title: In re Disqualification of Warren

Citation: 1999-Ohio-9

Docket Number: 1999AP080

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 1999-09-29T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN RE DISQUALIFICATION OF WARREN. 
MANN, EXR., v. WASTE MANAGEMENT OF OHIO, INC. ET AL. 
[Cite as In re Disqualification of Warren (1999), 88 Ohio St.3d 1214.] 
Judges — Affidavit of disqualification — Judge’s son’s law firm promptly 
withdrew from underlying case — Judge’s granting of motion for relief from 
default judgment not evidence of bias or prejudice. 
(No. 99-AP-080 — Decided September 29, 1999.) 
ON AFFIDAVIT OF DISQUALIFICATION in Allen County Court of Common Pleas case 
No. CV 98-11-0718. 
 
MOYER, C.J.  The affidavit of disqualification filed in this case on August 
27, 1999 was found not well taken and denied by entry dated September 22, 1999.  
On September 23, 1999, affiant filed a motion requesting reconsideration of that 
decision. 
 
I have reviewed affiant’s motion for reconsideration and conclude that it 
does not contain any information or substantive allegations that were not 
previously considered or that require reconsideration of the earlier ruling.  In 
addition to the factors cited in the September 22, 1999 entry denying the original 
affidavit, it is noteworthy that the law firm employing Judge Warren’s son 
promptly withdrew from the underlying case to avoid any appearance of 
impropriety as alleged by affiant.  Moreover, Judge Warren’s February 8, 1999 
 
2
order granting the defendants relief from the previously granted default judgment 
is consistent with the general principle that the interests of justice are better served 
when courts address the merits of claims and defenses rather than using procedural 
devices to resolve pending cases.  Moore v. Emmanuel Family Training Ctr. 
(1985), 18 Ohio St.3d 64, 70, 18 OBR 96, 102, 479 N.E.2d 879, 885.  While the 
propriety of the order is subject to review on appeal, the fact that Judge Warren 
granted the motion for relief from judgment under the circumstances set forth in 
the record before me does not establish the existence of bias, prejudice, or other 
disqualifying interest. 
 
Accordingly, the motion for reconsideration is found not well taken and 
denied.  The case shall proceed before Judge Richard K. Warren.