On April 15, the Supreme Court of Ohio will travel to Carroll County to hold oral arguments. The visit from the seven justices is part of the Supreme Court’s traveling civic education program for high school students.

The special Court session will be held at Carrollton High School before students from four high schools. More than 900 students are expected to attend. Arguments will be heard in three cases:

State v. McClain: A man was convicted of rape after a DNA match was made a decade after the assault was reported. His conviction was based on the victim’s substantial impairment. The Court will review whether the prosecutor proved that the man knew that the victim was substantially impaired.

State v. Lebron-Novas: State troopers pulled over a car for driving too closely to a commercial truck and, during a subsequent search, found illegal drugs. The driver challenges the legality of the search, pointing to inconsistencies between a trooper’s testimony and the dash-cam video.  

State v. Barton: During a traffic stop, a driver declined to allow police to search her vehicle. While the police had their dog sniff around the exterior of the car, the dog jumped up and sniffed inside the driver’s side window. The dog responded, indicating the presence of contraband. The driver argues the search was illegal because the dog trespassed into her car.

The Off-Site Court experience for students is the culmination of several weeks of preparation and collaboration with teachers and local attorneys. Before oral arguments, students and teachers receive a detailed summary of each case from the Supreme Court. Local attorneys visit classrooms to help explain the legal issues and how Ohio’s court system works. After observing the case, students meet with the attorneys who argued before the justices to discuss the case and the legal profession.

For the Carroll County event, a representative from the Ohio Access to Justice Foundation will discuss careers in the law with the students.

Carroll County will be the 77th of Ohio’s 88 counties to host Off-Site Court. Judges Michael V. Repella and Sean R. H. Smith of the Carroll County Common Pleas Court are serving as co-hosts of the event.

The Off-Site Court Program began in 1987 when Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer wanted to honor the year of the bicentennial of the U.S. Constitution. This year’s visit to Carroll County coincides with another milestone – the 250th anniversary of the nation’s independence.

As America is preparing for its 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, the Supreme Court is celebrating the semiquincentennial with a yearlong celebration called “The Story of America” highlighting significant historical events. Beyond digital content, the celebration includes events and displays at the Court. The initiative aims to spark curiosity, enhance civic literacy, and honor key moments in American and Ohio history.