Case Name: In re Tichy
Court: Supreme Court of Ohio
Jurisdiction: Ohio
Decision Date: 1954-03-03
Citations: 161 Ohio St. 104
Docket Number: No. 33694
Parties: In re Tichy.
Judges: Weygandt, O. J., Middleton, Taet, Zimmerman, Stewart and Lamneck, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Ohio State Reports, New Service
Volume: 161
Pages: 104–117

Head Matter:
In re Tichy.
(No. 33694
Decided March 3, 1954.)
Mr. Robert F. Mooney and Mr. Richard C. Green, for petitioner.
Mr. Frank T. Cullitan, prosecuting attorney, Mr. Saul R. Banaceau, Mr. A. H. Budnik, Mr. Marshall 1. Nurenberg and Mr. Jerome Silver, for respondent.

Opinion:
Per Curiam.
Counsel for respondent insist that the identity of the person unknown by plaintiff in the negligence action is subject to pretrial discovery in order that plaintiff may join as parties defendant all who may be legally responsible for the accident, and that the information is not privileged.
The information sought, having come into being only as a result of the accident and, pursuant to a custom of the transit system, having been turned over to its legal department, is privileged, and the petitioner was justified in refusing to answer. In re Hyde, 149 Ohio St., 407, 79 N. E. (2d), 224, paragraph one of the syllabus; In re Keough, 151 Ohio St., 307, 85 N. E, (2d), 550, paragraph two of the syllabus; In re Shoup, 154 Ohio St., 221, 94 N. E. (2d), 625.
Accordingly, the custody of petitioner is unlawful and he is, hereby, discharged therefrom.
Petitioner discharged from custody.
Weygandt, O. J., Middleton, Taet, Zimmerman, Stewart and Lamneck, JJ., concur.