Case Title: State v. Rohrbaugh

Citation: 2009-Ohio-479

Docket Number: 

State: ohio

Court: Ohio Supreme Court

Date: 2009-02-10T00:00:00Z

Document:
[Cite as State v. Rohrbaugh, 121 Ohio St.3d 1210, 2009-Ohio-479.] 
 
 
THE STATE OF OHIO, APPELLANT, v. ROHRBAUGH, APPELLEE. 
[Cite as State v. Rohrbaugh, 121 Ohio St.3d 1210, 2009-Ohio-479.] 
Motions to dismiss denied. 
(Nos. 2008-2127 and 2008-2249 — Submitted January 13, 2009 — Decided 
February 10, 2009.) 
APPEAL from and CERTIFIED by the Court of Appeals for Logan County, 
No. 8-07-28, 178 Ohio App.3d 211, 2008-Ohio-4781. 
ON MOTION TO DISMISS 
__________________ 
{¶ 1} The Ohio Public Defender has filed motions to dismiss the state's 
notice of appeal and notice of order certifying a conflict in these cases because of 
the state’s failure to serve the notice of appeal and notice of order certifying a 
conflict on the Ohio Public Defender as required by S.Ct.Prac.R. XIV(2)(A)(3), 
which provides as follows: “In a case involving a felony, when a county 
prosecutor files a notice of appeal under S.Ct.Prac.R. II or an order certifying a 
conflict under S.Ct.Prac.R. IV, the county prosecutor shall also serve a copy of 
the notice or order on the Ohio Public Defender."  The Ohio Public Defender 
asserts that the failure of county prosecutors to comply with S.Ct.Prac.R. 
XIV(2)(A)(3) is a recurring problem that interferes with its ability to fully 
discharge its responsibilities. 
{¶ 2} We note that there was an unquestioned failure by the Logan 
County Prosecuting Attorney to comply with the requirements of S.Ct.Prac.R. 
XIV(2)(A)(3) in these cases.  We further note that it should not be the 
responsibility of the Ohio Public Defender to monitor compliance with the rule by 
county prosecuting attorneys.  Rather, county prosecuting attorneys have a clear 
duty to comply with S.Ct.Prac.R. XIV(2)(A)(3).  Compliance is not optional. 
SUPREME COURT OF OHIO 
2 
{¶ 3} County prosecuting attorneys and their staffs are on notice that 
failure to comply with the requirements of S.Ct.Prac.R. XIV(2)(A)(3) in the 
future may result in the dismissal of a notice of appeal or a notice of order 
certifying a conflict or other appropriate sanctions. 
{¶ 4} We deny the motions to dismiss in these cases.  However, the 
Logan County Prosecutor is ordered to serve the notice of appeal and notice of 
order certifying a conflict on the Ohio Public Defender and to notify this court of 
the dates of such service.  The Ohio Public Defender may file an amicus 
memorandum in response to the memorandum in support of jurisdiction within 30 
days of the date of service of the notice in case No. 2008-2127.  The court will not 
consider the jurisdictional memoranda in case No. 2008-2127 or the notice of 
order certifying a conflict in case No. 2008-2249 until either the Ohio Public 
Defender has filed a memorandum or the time for filing a memorandum has 
passed. 
MOYER, 
C.J., 
and 
PFEIFER, 
LUNDBERG 
STRATTON, 
O’CONNOR, 
O’DONNELL, LANZINGER, and CUPP, JJ., concur. 
__________________ 
 
Gerald L. Heaton, Logan County Prosecuting Attorney, and Eric C. 
Stewart, Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, for appellant. 
 
Marc S. Triplett, for appellee. 
 
Timothy Young, Ohio Public Defender, and Melissa M. Prendergast, 
Assistant Public Defender, for amicus curiae, Ohio Public Defender. 
______________________