 | Lisa Thompson
Juvenile Magistrate |
| Courtroom
| - 51
| Address
| - 5th Floor
373 S. High Street
Columbus, OH
| General Phone
| - (614) 525-5295
| | Fax | - (614) 525-4499
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Preferences and Practices
Unless you have received prior approval from the Court, all parties and their counsel must be present for scheduled hearings. Please be on time and prepared to proceed with your case at the scheduled time. Check in with the court officer inside the courtroom upon your arrival. If an emergency arises and you will be late, please notify the court officer immediately and provide a phone number at which you can be reached. Failure to appear on time may result in the case proceeding without you or being dismissed. If you are not an attorney and you are representing yourself pro se, Ohio law mandates that you be held to the same standard as an attorney in presenting your case to the Court by learning the appropriate law for your case and in presenting your case correctly by following the rules of juvenile and civil procedure, and evidence.
| Courtroom Decorum and Dress
Professionalism and civility are expected of all persons entering the courtroom. All parties and counsel are expected to wear appropriate attire and to be respectful and courteous to the court staff, the attorneys and parties on your own case, as well any other people with whom you may interact. Be quiet in the courtroom while other hearings are in progress. Be mindful of the hallway noise that filters in each time the doors are opened.
The following items are not allowed in the courtroom: hair bonnets, hats, skimpy clothing, tank tops, crop tops, sports bras, low-cut tops, leotards, pajamas, slippers, and sagging pants. Chewing gum is also prohibited.
| Zoom Hearings
Unless you have advance permission from the Court, you are not permitted to appear via Zoom when your case has been scheduled for an in-person hearing. If appearing for a previously scheduled Zoom hearing, be warned that the Court is only required to wait ten minutes before proceeding with the hearing. If you are late, the case may be resolved or dismissed without your appearance. Please make certain that before the hearing begins you know to log into the hearing and know how to connect to both audio and video. During Zoom hearings, your camera must always be on, and you must be in a quiet location. You are prohibited from driving during the Zoom hearing; you must be parked.
When possible, counsel, agency representatives, etc., should list their full names, titles, and affiliation with the case in their Zoom description. For example, “Atty Jane Appleseed, GAL” “PFSN Atty Paula Bunyan” “Arthur Oakley, caseworker.” Youth, parents, and other affiliated persons are required to, at a minimum, display the names of all parties appearing on their screen.
| Trial and Contested Hearings
Discovery, negotiation, and agreed resolutions should be completed prior to trial. Please mark all exhibits prior to trial and have copies of all exhibits available for opposing counsel. Lists and copies of exhibits should be exchanged prior to trial. Stipulations are encouraged. The State/Plaintiff should use a letter designation on all exhibits and defendant should use a number designation on all exhibits. The courtroom is equipped with various technological features that may be used during trial and other hearings.
| Guardians ad Litem
Guardians ad Litem must have up to date information and must file a report seven days in advance of the hearing/trial when appropriate. Please comply with Franklin County Local Juvenile Rule 4 and Rule 48 of the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio.
| Continuances
Continuances will be granted for good cause and should be requested at the earliest possible opportunity. Once a matter is scheduled for trial, the Court discourages continuances.
| Cell Phones
Use of cell phones in the courtroom is prohibited, except with permission of the Court.
| Diversion / Mediation
Diversion and mediation of cases is always encouraged. Consistent with the Court’s adherence to JDAI (Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative) principles, delinquency and unruly matters should avoid formal Court involvement if possible. In appropriate cases, attempts should be made to divert or mediate delinquency matters prior to or at the initial hearing.
| Interpreters
The Court is responsible for requesting language interpreters (including American Sign Language) for hearings. However, it is a good idea for parties to make sure that an interpreter is scheduled for the hearing. If you are an attorney needing to verify that an interpreter has been requested, or if you are representing yourself and need an interpreter, please contact the Office of Language Services (at least 7 days before the hearing) at drj_interpreterrequest@fccourts.org. You can also utilize the request form at https://forms.office.com/g/hi00my7pYg, or the QR code:
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