Second District Court of Appeals Judge Michael T. Hall served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Second District Court of Appeals Judge Michael T. Hall served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court.

Second District Court of Appeals Judge Michael T. Hall served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court today. Acting Chief Justice Paul Pfeifer assigned Judge Hall to replace Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, who recused herself from State v. Willan (Case No. 2012-0216).

The state is asking the court to reverse a Ninth District Court of Appeals decision that held that a sentencing law imposing a mandatory 10-year prison sentence on persons convicted of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity when that activity includes a first-degree felony did not apply to an Akron man found guilty under the corrupt activity statute.

This is Judge Hall’s first time hearing an argument on the Supreme Court.

"I am sincerely grateful and humbled by the invitation to sit on the Supreme Court. I considered it a capstone to a career spent working on all sides of the justice system for more than forty years,” Judge Hall said.  “I was delighted that my mom and dad, my children and grandchildren, and my 10 brothers and sisters could all watch me on the webcast."

Judge Hall has served on the Second District Court of Appeals since 2011. Prior to serving on the appellate bench, Judge Hall was a Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge since 1999. He also served as a Montgomery County District Court judge, a practicing attorney for 20 years, and a city of Dayton police officer for 6 years. Judge Hall is a graduate from the University of Dayton School of Law.

The Second District Court of Appeals serves six counties, and its central office is located in Dayton. The court hears cases from county, municipal, and common pleas courts as well as original actions in habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, procedendo, and quo warranto.