Honorable Leslie E. Ghiz
Hamilton County Courthouse
1000 Main Street
Room 530
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Dave Weisker, Bailiff
Phone Number: 513-946-5830
Tom Blatz, Staff Attorney
Phone Number: 513-946-5831
Fax Number: 513-946-5833
Courtroom Procedures
MOTION PRACTICE:
Attorneys should send courtesy copies of motions to the courtroom. If an oral argument is requested, counsel should set a date with the law clerk. Oral arguments are generally scheduled at 9:00 or 9:30 a.m., Monday through Thursday.
SETTLEMENT:
I will become involved in settlement of cases if the parties desire.
CALENDARING, CONTINUANCES
The bailiff schedules criminal cases. In civil cases, the law clerk schedules trials during case management conferences. If an issue arises pertaining to a civil trial date, parties should contact the law clerk and file a motion for continuance.
PRETRIAL
The Court expects the parties to strictly follow the case scheduling order. If parties wish to extend deadlines established in that order, they should contact the law clerk. Parties must submit pretrial statements one week before the pretrial (unless the case scheduling order states otherwise). The attorneys who will try the case must attend the pretrial, but their clients are not required to attend. During pretrial, we will discuss the case and any pretrial issues.
TRIAL
The Court prepares criminal jury instructions using Ohio Jury Instructions. Attorneys will have the opportunity to review these instructions before the jury is charged. The Court will then hold a conference with counsel to discuss any issues regarding jury instructions.
For civil cases, attorneys should consult and jointly propose jury instructions with citations to OJI or relevant case citations (when possible). Where the parties disagree, the Court will hold a conference with counsel to discuss issues.
Counsel has latitude to conduct voir dire, but it is limited to a reasonable time and scope.