Gang members held responsible for five murders

Three former National Football League (NFL) players have pleaded guilty for their roles in a nationwide scheme to defraud a health care benefit program for retired NFL players. A total of 15 defendants have pleaded guilty in connection with this scheme.

Scientists develop platform and public dataset to enhance breeding process

Ohio is the gold standard of election administration, and in 2020, more Ohioans voted in the presidential election than in any election in state history. Such access to the ballot is only possible thanks to the security protocols in place that ensure the integrity of the election. Key to election integrity is the accuracy of the voter rolls managed by the 88 county boards of elections. Boosting the accuracy of voter rolls would be significantly enhanced if the Ohio General Assembly adopted Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s proposal to modernize and automate the system as seen in HB 294. In lieu of this proposal being actualized, Ohio must still take the necessary steps prescribed under current law to remove abandoned registrations and strengthen the security of the system.

Ohioans who are concerned about possibly contracting COVID-19 after a recent exposure can get free, rapid COVID-19 tests at many local libraries around the state. During August, 246 library locations provided more than 53,000 tests statewide.

The Department of Justice recently announced the launch of the first phase of its Body-Worn Camera Program that requires department law enforcement personnel use body-worn cameras (BWCs) during pre-planned law enforcement operations. Agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Phoenix and Detroit Field Divisions began using BWCs today during these pre-planned operations. Over the course of the next several weeks, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) will begin the first phase of their BWC programs. The department’s plans include a phased implementation of BWCs, and rely upon Congress to secure the necessary funding to equip agents nationwide with BWCs.

The Ohio Department of Aging is asking seniors throughout the Buckeye State to get moving during September to promote Falls Prevention Awareness Month.

The Ohio Supreme Court has issued an order allowing Ohio attorneys to receive continuing legal education credit by serving as poll workers at general election sites on Nov. 2. The Supreme Court has issued such an order in two previous elections.

The history of what has been called a “rule of law Marshall Plan” is vividly captured in a remarkable new book filled with both historical detail and dozens of personal accounts. The 67-chapter story, “Building the Rule of Law: Firsthand Accounts from a Thirty-Year Global Campaign,” begins with the fall of the Berlin Wall and documents the beginnings, challenges and successes of more than 5,000 volunteers and the growth of this initiative into a global campaign that has, to date, reached more than 100 countries.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced recently that the State of Ohio has initiated the repayment of nearly $1.5 billion borrowed from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits to eligible Ohioans during the pandemic. This repayment will prevent future tax increases for Ohio employers that would have been needed to pay off the loan.

The state’s annual income tax checkoff program has benefited the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ conservation efforts by more than three quarters of $1 million this year, department officials announced recently.

The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday, September 8th, heard four oral arguments, including one asking if Ohio law unconstitutionally burdens defendents whose rights have been violated under Brady v. Maryland

The American Bar Association Business Law Section has published “D&O Guide to Cyber Governance: Fiduciary Duties in the Digital Age” that provides expert guidance and key actions for directors and officers on how to manage and govern cyber risks.

The average annual cost of new vehicle ownership is just shy of the $10,000 mark, or $805.50 per month, according to new data collected by AAA.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost recently congratulated the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation on 100 years of excellence in service for local law enforcement.

The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday, September 7th, heard four oral arguments, including one asking if camera-ticket fines have to be appealed at the common pleas level before other actions, such as class-action lawsuits, can be attempted.

The publicity around the battle to remove Britney Spears’ father as conservator of her estate has uncovered age-old problems and overuse of the conservatorship/guardianship system, legal experts say.

Imagine that every courthouse in Ohio offered free Wi-Fi, and courts and government partners installed computer workstations in communities so more people could “go to court” remotely. Envision people using their smartphones to schedule mutually beneficial times for basic proceedings, such as eviction hearings, dissolutions, and minor traffic violations.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria recently announced that 68 Ohio schools will be honored with the Purple Star Award this school year. The award recognizes a school’s commitment to serving and supporting students and families connected to the United States armed forces and Ohio National Guard. The list of honorees is available on the Ohio Department of Education’s Purple Star webpage.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has requested that the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) Board of Directors expand the agency’s December 2020 $5 billion dividend to approximately 3,000 employers who did not originally meet eligibility requirements.