Jones v. Billingham

Fain, Judge.

Defendant-appellant, Kathryn L. Billingham, appeals from a decision of the trial court denying her motion for recusal and her motion for sanctions under Civ.R. 11 and R.C. 2323.51. We conclude that the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, or a justice designated by him, has the exclusive authority to determine whether a judge of a common pleas court is unable, because of bias and prejudice, to sit in judgment of a case. We further conclude that under the particular circumstances of this case, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying Billingham’s motion for…