Case Title: In re Disqualification of McGinty

Citation: 2001-Ohio-4096

Docket Number: 2001AP028

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 2001-03-30T00:00:00Z

Document:
[Cite as In re Disqualification of McGinty, 94 Ohio St.3d 1227, 2001-Ohio-4096.] 
 
 
IN RE DISQUALIFICATION OF MCGINTY. 
THE STATE OF OHIO v. SMITH. 
[Cite as In re Disqualification of McGinty (2001), 94 Ohio St.3d 1227.] 
Judges — Affidavit of disqualification — Affidavit not timely filed, when. 
(No. 01-AP-028 — Decided March 30, 2001.) 
ON AFFIDAVIT OF DISQUALIFICATION in Cuyahoga County Court of Common 
Pleas case No. 388214. 
__________________ 
 
MOYER, C.J.  This affidavit of disqualification filed by Jean M. 
Gallagher, counsel for defendant, seeks the disqualification of Judge Timothy J. 
McGinty from further proceedings in the above-captioned case, State v. Raysheem 
Smith.  This affidavit of disqualification was filed on March 29, 2001, which is 
one day prior to the pretrial hearing scheduled by Judge McGinty. 
 
R.C. 2701.03(B)(4) requires that an affidavit of disqualification be filed no 
later than seven days prior to the next scheduled hearing in the underlying case.  
This statutory requirement will be set aside only in circumstances where affiant 
can establish that compliance with the provision is impossible.  See In re 
Disqualification of Leskovyansky (1999), 88 Ohio St.3d 1210, 723 N.E.2d 1099. 
 
Here, affiant claims that the affidavit was filed one day prior to the hearing 
through no fault of her own.  However, affiant admits in the very next sentence of 
her affidavit that she neglected to immediately notify and consult with another 
assistant public defender regarding the filing of the affidavit.  See paragraph 28 of 
the March 29, 2001 affidavit.  Under these circumstances, and based on the 
affidavit and supporting materials filed by affiant, I cannot conclude that it was 
impossible for affiant to comply with the statutory filing requirement. 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
2 
 
For these reasons, the affidavit of disqualification is dismissed as not 
timely filed.  The case shall proceed before Judge McGinty. 
__________________