First District Court of Appeals Judge Sylvia S. Hendon.

First District Court of Appeals Judge Sylvia S. Hendon.

First District Court of Appeals Judge Sylvia S. Hendon served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court today and heard oral arguments in a Franklin County case.

Judge Hendon replaced Justice Judith L. French,who recused herself from Ries v. The Ohio State University Medical Center (Case No. 2012-0954). The case concerned whether doctors employed by university hospitals can be sued for malpractice only in the Ohio Court of Claims.

According to the Ohio Constitution, in the event of a recusal by a justice the chief justice can select any of the 69 sitting Ohio appellate court judges to sit temporarily on the Supreme Court.

Judge Hendon last served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court in 2006.

Judge Hendon was elected to the First District Court of Appeals in November 2004 – serving as presiding judge in 2009. She also served on the bench and as presiding judge in Hamilton County Juvenile Court and Hamilton County Municipal Court. She is one of only two sitting judges to have served as presiding judge in all three levels of court.

“It is truly an honor to be selected to sit on the state’s highest court,” Judge Hendon said. “I look forward to being able to contribute to the formation of this important decision.”

The First District Court of Appeals serves Hamilton County, and hears cases from county, municipal and common pleas courts as well as original actions in habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, procedendo and quo warranto.