Judge removed from case of 11 Cleveland killings

Criminal Law

The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered a judge removed from the trial of a man suspected of killing 11 women whose remains were found around his home.

An order signed by acting Chief Justice Paul Pfeifer on Thursday says Cuyahoga (ky-uh-HOH'-guh) County Common Pleas Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold must step down to avoid an appearance of bias or prejudice.

Attorneys for Anthony Sowell (SOH'-wehl) asked the court to remove Saffold. They claim Saffold made biased comments about him and a defense attorney in postings on a newspaper's website.

The judge has denied posting the comments. Her daughter has claimed responsibility.

Saffold is the second judge off the case. The first judge stepped down in December after a newspaper published his e-mails.

Sowell has pleaded not guilty in the Cleveland killings.

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Grounds for Divorce in Ohio - Sylkatis Law, LLC

A divorce in Ohio is filed when there is typically “fault” by one of the parties and party not at “fault” seeks to end the marriage. A court in Ohio may grant a divorce for the following reasons:
• Willful absence of the adverse party for one year
• Adultery
• Extreme cruelty
• Fraudulent contract
• Any gross neglect of duty
• Habitual drunkenness
• Imprisonment in a correctional institution at the time of filing the complaint
• Procurement of a divorce outside this state by the other party

Additionally, there are two “no-fault” basis for which a court may grant a divorce:
• When the parties have, without interruption for one year, lived separate and apart without cohabitation
• Incompatibility, unless denied by either party

However, whether or not the the court grants the divorce for “fault” or not, in Ohio the party not at “fault” will not get a bigger slice of the marital property.

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