Ohio has lost one of its most respected veteran jurists.
A week to the day after retiring from the 10th District Court of Appeals, Judge Peggy Bryant, 62, died last night. She had served on the appeals court since 1987.

Judge Bryant announced her intention to retire to Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor in a letter dated July 25.

“The past 26 years have provided me the privilege of serving the people of central Ohio and the state as well,” Judge Bryant wrote. “Moreover, the judgeship offered everything I could want in applying intellectual principles to real problems. I can think of no job I would have enjoyed more. Unfortunately, health problems are making my continuing service difficult, and so I resign.”

“I thank the people of Ohio for the honor they have granted me in allowing me to serve as their judge these past many years,” Judge Bryant concluded.

Judge Bryant was a former chair of the Supreme Court’s Rules Advisory Committee and of the Task Force for Professional Conduct. Since 1993, Judge Bryant participated in 53 cases at the Supreme Court as a visiting judge by assignment. She also sat for oral argument eight times as a visiting judge in place of one of the justices.

Before taking the appellate court bench, Judge Bryant served on the Franklin County Municipal Court and worked in private practice as a partner with Alexander, Ebinger, Fisher, McAlister & Lawrence.

Judge Bryant, the longest serving appellate judge in Ohio at the time of her retirement, was appointed by former Gov. Richard Celeste to replace Judge Thomas J. Moyer, who was elected Chief Justice in 1986. Tenth District Deputy Court Administrator Douglas W. Eaton said the court celebrated Judge Bryant’s 25th anniversary on the court at a party last year attended by many current and former judges and staff members.