Case Title: Mullins v. Rio Algom, Inc.

Citation: 1999-Ohio-384

Docket Number: 19972491

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 1999-04-28T00:00:00Z

Document:
MULLINS ET AL. v. RIO ALGOM, INC. ET AL. 
[Cite as Mullins v. Rio Algom, Inc. (1999), ___ Ohio St.3d ___.] 
Employer and employee — Cause of action brought by employee alleging 
intentional tort by employer in workplace — R.C. 2745.01 is 
unconstitutional in its entirety. 
(No. 97-2491 — Submitted March 31, 1999 — Decided April 28, 1999.) 
ON ORDER from the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, 
Western Division, Certifying a Question of State Law, No. C-1-97-73. 
__________________ 
 
Casper & Casper and Arthur B. Casper, for petitioners Mark Mullins et al. 
 
Lindhorst & Dreidame, William M. Cussen and Brian M. Kneafsey, Jr., for 
respondents Rio Algom, Inc. et al. 
 
Betty D. Montgomery, Attorney General, and Arthur J. Marziale, Jr., 
Assistant Attorney General, for intervenor-respondent Ohio Attorney General. 
 
Michael R. Thomas, in support of petitioners, for amicus curiae Ohio 
Academy of Trial Lawyers. 
 
Stewart Jaffy & Associates Co., L.P.A., Stewart R. Jaffy and Marc J. Jaffy, in 
support of petitioners, for amicus curiae Ohio AFL-CIO. 
 
Manley, Burke, Lipton & Cook and Andrew S. Lipton, in support of 
petitioners, for amicus curiae Armco Employees Independent Federation, Inc. 
__________________ 
 
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, Western 
Division, has certified the following question to us: 
 
“Is Section 2745.01 of the Ohio Revised Code unconstitutional under state 
law thereby rendering Ohio Revised Code Section 2305.11.2 null and void?” 
 
The certified question is answered in the affirmative on the authority of 
Johnson v. BP Chemicals, Inc. (1999), 85 Ohio St.3d 298, 707 N.E.2d 1107. 
 
2
 
MOYER, C.J., DOUGLAS, RESNICK, F.E. SWEENEY, PFEIFER and COOK, JJ., 
concur. 
 
LUNDBERG STRATTON, J., dissents. 
__________________ 
 
LUNDBERG STRATTON, J., dissenting.  I respectfully dissent for the reasons 
set forth in my dissenting opinion in Johnson v. BP Chemicals, Inc. (1999), 85 
Ohio St.3d 298, 707 N.E.2d 1107.