Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge William A. Klatt.

Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge William A. Klatt.

Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge William A. Klatt served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court today and heard oral arguments in a DNA case.

Judge Klatt replaced Justice William M. O’Neill,who recused himself from State v. Noling (Case No. 2011-0778). The case involves a request by death row prisoner Tyrone Noling to retest DNA evidence that was recovered from the scene of the 1990 double murder for which he was convicted and sentenced to death in 1996.

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 Klatt last served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court in 2007.

Since 2002, Judge Klatt has served on the appellate bench. He previously served as chief legal counsel to Governor Bob Taft, first legal assistant to Attorney General Betty Montgomery and litigation partner for Squire, Sanders & Dempsey law firm. He received his law degree from Notre Dame University.

“I am very pleased and honored to sit on the Supreme Court of Ohio by special assignment,” Judge Klatt said.

The Tenth District Court of Appeals serves Franklin 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.