Case Title: In re Disqualification of Leskovyansky

Citation: 1999-Ohio-6

Docket Number: 1999AP024

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 1999-03-30T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN RE DISQUALIFICATION OF LESKOVYANSKY. 
BUTLAND, N.K.A. RITCHIE, v. BUTLAND. 
[Cite as In re Disqualification of Leskovyansky (1999), 88 Ohio St.3d 1210.] 
Judges — Affidavit of disqualification — Affidavit filed fewer than seven days 
before scheduled hearing — Statutory provision will be set aside only when 
compliance is impossible. 
(No. 99-AP-024 — Decided March 30, 1999.) 
ON AFFIDAVIT OF DISQUALIFICATION in Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, 
Domestic Relations Division case No. 89-DR-06-1753. 
 
MOYER, C.J.  Affiant, Joy Ritchie, f.k.a. Butland, has filed a motion seeking 
reconsideration of the dismissal of her March 25, 1999 affidavit seeking the 
disqualification of Judge John J. Leskovyansky from further proceedings in the 
above-captioned case.  By entry dated March 26, 1999, affiant’s affidavit of 
disqualification was ordered stricken because it was filed fewer than seven days 
before the scheduled hearing date and did not contain facts to show why it could 
not have been filed timely.  See R.C. 2701.03(B) and In re Disqualification of 
Badger (1989), 43 Ohio St.3d 601, 538 N.E.2d 1023. 
 
The statutory provision that requires an affidavit to be filed on a timely basis 
will be set aside only when compliance with the provision is impossible, such as 
where the case is scheduled or assigned to a judge or the alleged bias or prejudice 
 
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occurs fewer than seven days before the hearing date.  See Household Consumer 
Discount Co. v. Pokorny (1978), 60 Ohio App.2d 253, 256-258, 14 O.O.3d 232, 
234, 396 N.E.2d 803, 806.  Having reviewed affiant’s motion for reconsideration, I 
cannot conclude that affiant’s compliance with the statutory requirement was 
rendered impossible by the assertions contained in the motion. 
 
For these reasons, the motion for reconsideration is overruled.