The Ohio Supreme Court has declined calls for the Court to increase its scrutiny of the State’s guardianship system. Chief Justice Maureen O’Conner held that the responsibility for providing more scrutiny needs to come from county probate judges. The Court’s decision is partially a response to calls to investigate former Mahoning County Probate Court Judge Mark Belinky for his role in a high profile theft scandal. Judge O’Conner ruled that the court cannot insert itself into a criminal investigation that it might need to decide on at a later date. There have been efforts to reform legislation to provide more essential oversight to the probate system. Other States have put in place certain safeguards to crack down on corrupt officials who abuse their power.
See Lucas Sullivan, Ohio Supreme Court can’t investigate corrupt guardians, chief justice says, The Columbus Dispatch, September 4, 2015.
