Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Gene Donofrio.

Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Gene Donofrio.

Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Gene Donofrio served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court today and heard oral arguments from a Warren County case. Judge Donofrio replaced Justice Sharon L. Kennedy,who recused herself from Schussheim v. Schussheim (Case No. 2012-1235). The case concerns whether a trial court has the constitutional authority to seal records of dismissed civil protection orders.

According to the Ohio Constitution, in the event of a recusal by a justice, the chief justice or acting chief justice can select any of the 69 sitting Ohio appellate court judges to sit temporarily on the Supreme Court. Judge Donofrio last served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court in 2006.

“It’s always an honor and a privilege to be asked by Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor to sit on the state’s highest court,” Judge Donofrio said. “I always look forward to such an opportunity.”

Judge Donofrio joined the appellate bench in 1993. Prior to judicial roles, he served as an assistant prosecuting attorney for Youngstown and Mahoning County. He also served as counsel for the Mahoning county treasurer and was an assistant attorney general for the state of Ohio. He graduated from the University of Akron, College of Law in 1978.

The Seventh District Court of Appeals serves 8 counties in eastern 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.