Sandusky County Law Day features Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart
FREMONT ― Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody Stewart was the guest speaker at the annual Sandusky County Bar Association Law Day, for which the theme was “Voices of Democracy,” a topic she felt was salient in the political time.
“A democratic government is, of course, a government by the people and for the people. Ours is a government of majority rule. And we have rejected the notion that anything different would work better for us. But we still need to find ways to work better together for the sake of all,” Stewart, the first Black woman elected to the Ohio Supreme Court, told the Law Day guests. “Law Day is a reminder to us, in the legal profession, to lead the way in promoting equity, civility and collaboration; to join in fostering respect for every person; and to ensure that we use the law to advance real equality and real representation for all.”
In a follow-up interview, Stewart reflected on the importance of the event theme in light of recent statewide votes relative to the contemporary politics.
“It’s salient that the topic of Voices of Democracy is the Law Day theme at a time when the special election of August of last year was fraught with controversy,” Stewart said. “One, should it even have taken place? Was it a legal election? It got challenged even up to our court, and it was allowed to happen by the narrowest of the majority, 4-3 decision, so one, whether that election should happen, based on the General Assembly outline of special elections.”
She continued with her opinion on the political actions following those special elections.
“The purpose of that special election was to have the minority essentially rule the majority, when it comes to citizen-initiated constitutional amendments, with the 60% needed to pass that,” Stewart said. “You know, that’s not democracy, when 40 to 41% can decide on a position becoming law or not becoming law, that a majority of people, 50%-plus, thinks should or shouldn’t become law. So, I think it was salient that our topic was Voices of Democracy now, with what our elections are going on in our state.”
She compared that election with the 2023 Ohio Issue 1, the Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative.
“Then with the fall elections, with the (2023 Ohio Issue 1, the Right to Make Reproductive Decisions Including Abortion Initiative) constitutional amendment passing with the same margin as the special elections ballot initiative passed by, and then we had members of our elected officials still saying, essentially, we really don’t care what the majority of voters say, we’re still going to do what we can to make the law be what we want it to be,” Stewart added.
At the May 3 event, held at Victors Event Center, the Bar and Mary Brady Foundation gave scholarships and their Liberty Bell Award.
The Liberty Bell Award went to Todd Drusback. The award honors a local citizen who has shown a commitment to community service and stimulated a sense of civic responsibility and respect for the rule of law.
Drusback is a health and physical education teacher at Rossford High School, but probably most well known as the school’s head football coach. He has coached football for 27 years, but also coached track and field for 13 years and basketball for 9 years. In each of those positions he spent years as an assistant and then as the head coach.
He is also the president of Parker’s Purpose, which he founded in 2008. The nonprofit foundation has assisted hundreds of families with children who have a life-threatening disability or illness. The organization has given grants totaling almost $600,000.
Mary Brady Foundation scholarships went to law students Edward Hastings and Micaela Eberhard. Hastings is attending the University of Toledo and Eberhard is going to the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law.
The bar also awarded a scholarship to Emily Witter, who graduated from the University of Toledo College of Law in December and recently was sworn in as a member of the bar.
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This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Law Day features Ohio Supreme Court Justice Stewart
