From top: First District Court of Appeals Judge Patrick Fischer, Third District Court of Appeals Judge Vernon Preston.

From top: First District Court of Appeals Judge Patrick Fischer, Third District Court of Appeals Judge Vernon Preston.

First District Court of Appeals Judge Patrick Fischer and Third District Court of Appeals Judge Vernon Preston served as visiting judges on the Ohio Supreme Court today and heard oral arguments involving a judicial campaign complaint.

Judge Fischer replaced Justice William M. O’Neill,and Judge Preston replaced Justice Sharon L. Kennedy. Both justices recused themselves from In re: Judicial Campaign Complaint Against O’Toole (Case No. 2012-1653). The case involves a decision by a five-judge commission that former candidate for the 11th District Court of Appeals Colleen O’Toole misled voters by not clearly indicating that she was not a sitting judge.

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 Fischer last served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court in April 2012, and Judge Preston last served in June 2010.

Judge Fischer has served on the appellate bench since November 2010. He served as president of the Ohio State Bar Association from 2012-2013, and has served two terms on the Ohio Supreme Court’s Commission on Professionalism.  He is currently serving on the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission.  Judge Fischer is a graduate of Harvard Law School.

“It is an honor to again be asked to sit with the Supreme Court of Ohio,” Judge Fischer said. “I certainly enjoy the opportunity to work with such a distinguished group of jurists.”

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.

Judge Preston has served on the appellate bench since January 2, 2007. Previously he served as a Findlay Municipal Court Judge for 13 years, where for eight of those years he was the presiding and administrative judge.  He earned his bachelor’s degree from Findlay College (now the University of Findlay), and his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law.

“It is a pleasure to be asked to serve,” Judge Preston said.

The Third District Court of Appeals serves 17 counties in northwestern Ohio, and hears cases from county, municipal and common pleas courts as well as original actions in habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, procedendo and quo warranto.