Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Mary Eileen Kilbane.

Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Mary Eileen Kilbane.

Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Mary Eileen Kilbane served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court today and heard oral arguments in a statute of limitations case about child sexual abuse.

Judge Kilbane replaced Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger,who recused herself from U.W., v. Department of Youth Services (Case No. 2013-0824).

The case out of the Tenth District Court of Appeals in Franklin County concerned whether a 2- or 12-year statute of limitations applies for a lawsuit against a state agency in a child sexual abuse case. According to Ohio Revised Code, there is a 2-year deadline to file a lawsuit against a state entity, but a separate statute establishes a 12-year deadline for child sexual abuse 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.

This is Judge Kilbane’s first time serving as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court.

“I am honored and most grateful for the opportunity to serve,” Judge Kilbane said.

Judge Kilbane was first elected to the Eighth District Court of Appeals in 2004. Before sitting on the appellate court bench, Judge Kilbane served as a Cleveland Municipal Court judge for 9 years. She began her legal career as an assistant Cuyahoga County public defender. Judge Kilbane received her law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law.

The Eighth District Court of Appeals serves Cuyahoga 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.