JUVENILE COURT TRIAL TACTICS
SPONSORED BY THE WSBA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ROCKY
RIVER MUNICIPAL COURT
WHEN:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
8:30AM-12:15PM (CHECK IN FROM 8:00-8:30 AM)
WHERE: DON UMERLEY CIVIC CENTER
(across the parking lot from the RR Municipal Court)
21016 HILLIARD BLVD
ROCKY RIVER, OHIO 44116
HOURS:
APPROVED FOR 3.5 GENERAL CLE CREDIT HOURS
FEE:
*$75.00 VIA CHECK MADE PAYABLE TO:
WEST SHORE BAR ASSOCIATION (WSBA)
*ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE WSBA GET A $25 DISCOUNT
REGISTRATION FORM (PLEASE PRINT)
________________________________________________________________________
NAME
ADDRESS
SUPREME COURT NUMBER
EMAIL ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________________ PLEASE MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO WEST SHORE BAR ASSOCIATION (WSBA) IN THE AMOUNT OF *$75.00 ($50 if WSBA member). PLEASE MAIL THIS REGISTRATION FORM, ALONG WITH YOUR CHECK TO:
TIMOTHY J. CLEMENS, ESQUIRE P.O. BOX 110366
CLEVELAND, OHIO 44111
JUVENILE TRIAL TACTICS
SEPTEMBER 25, 2015
SPONSORED BY THE WEST SHORE BAR ASSOCIATION
8:00-8:30AM
CHECK IN
8:30-8:40AM
OVERVIEW OF TWO AREAS OF JUVENILE COURT:
1) Delinquency
2) Parental Rights and Responsibilities
Presenters: Judge Denise Nancy Rini and John Lawson, Esquire
8:40-9:00AM
DELINQUENCY:
1) Transfer from Juvenile to Common Pleas-Criminal
2) Discretionary Transfers ORC§ 2152.10 & OCR§ 2152.12
Presenter: Judge Denise Nancy Rini
9:00-9:20AM
DELINQUENCY:
1) Finding of Probable Cause ORC§ 2152.12(B)(2)
Presenters: Kelly Zacharias, Esquire and Magistrate Tess Neff
9:20-9:40AM
DELINQUENCY:
1) Amenability to Rehabilitation via Expert Testimony
ORC § 2152.12 (B)(3) & ORC § 2152.12(C)
Presenter:Magistrate Je’Nine Nickerson
9:40-10:10AM
DELINQUENCY:
1) Investigation Report on Child's Social History & Cross
Examination of Expert
Presenter: John Lawson, Esquire
10:10-10:25AM BREAK
10:25-10:45AM DELINQUENCY:
Factors For and Against Transfer ORC § 2152.12(D) & (E)
10:45-11:05AM PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1) Neither Parent Suitable to Have Parental Rights &
Responsibilities – Case Certified From Domestic
Relations to Juvenile Court
Presenters: Judge Denise Rini and Michael Telep, Esquire
11:05-11:25AM PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1) Process of certification under R.C. 3109.06
Presenter:Magistrate Je’Nine Nickerson
11:25-11:45AM PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1) Adjudication of Neglect or Dependency
2) Role of CCDCFS,
3) Complaint, Discovery, Examination of Witnesses
Presenter:Laura Brewster, Assistant County Prosecutor/Supervisor, Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services
11:45-12:05PM
PARENTAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1) Disposition & Role of GAL
ORC§ 2151.353 & 3109.04 &2151.281 & Supt. R. 48
Presenter: Michael Telep, Esquire
12:05-12:15PM
Presentation and Q&A by Clients/Participants
Panel Discussion/All Presenters
Presenters:
Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court:
The Honorable Judge Denise Nancy Rini;
Magistrate Terease (Tess) Neff;
Magistrate Je’Nine Nickerson;
John H. Lawson, Esquire;
Michael Telep, Esquire
Kelly Zacharias, Esquire;
Laura Brewster, Esquire.
Presenter Biographies:
Laura Brewster, Esquire
Laura Brewster joined the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office in April, 2008 as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Children and Family Services Division, and was promoted to her current position of Managing Attorney in July, 2013. Laura represents the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (CCDCFS) at Juvenile Court and at the Eighth District Court of Appeals in child custody cases involving abuse and neglect. She has also represented CCDCFS’ interests in juvenile delinquency cases, working collaboratively with Juvenile Court and CCDCFS to reduce the number of delinquent children committed to CCDCFS custody. Laura has a passion for child welfare, with ten years of experience as a caseworker for CCDCFS where she investigated allegations of child abuse and neglect, including sexual abuse and child fatalities. Laura received her B.A. in Psychology from Miami University and her J.D. from Cleveland Marshall College of Law.
John H. Lawson, Esquire
John H. Lawson has practiced law in the Greater Cleveland Area for 39 years. He is a graduate of Shaker Heights High School (1967), Middlebury College (1971), and Cleveland Marshall College of Law (1976). Mr. Lawson was also a Cleveland City Councilman. He has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Cleveland Public Radio (founding member), as well as the Alta House, Shaker Nature Center, Cleveland Environmental Center, Cleveland Marshall College of Law Alumni Association, Guardian ad litem Project, and the Cuyahoga County Bar Association. He has been an adjunct law professor at Cleveland Marshall College of Law where he taught juvenile and family law. He has been a lecturer at the Police Academy and has presented legal seminars all over Ohio on a wide range of juvenile legal areas, including child abuse and neglect, child support and the rape shield law.
In 2013, Mr. Lawson received the William K. Thomas Professionalism Award from the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.
Magistrate Je’Nine Nickerson
Court of Common Pleas, Cuyahoga County, Juvenile Division
Magistrate Je’Nine Nickerson has served as Magistrate under Judge Denise Rini in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court since 2013.
Education:
B.A. (cum laude) in psychology/sociology, Case Western Reserve University, 2002
J.D. Cleveland Marshall College of Law, 2005
M.B.A., Weatherhead School of Management, 2013
Professional Experience:
Presently serves under Judge Denise N. Rini as a Magistrate in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court, 2013 to present
Also worked in Family Law while in private practice, 2007 to 2012
Served as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Cuyahoga County in the Abuse,
Neglect Dependency and Juvenile Delinquency Units, 2006 to 2007
Worked as a Law Clerk for the City of Garfield Heights, 2003 to 2006 Memberships:
Ohio Association of Magistrates Member
Judicial Conference of the Eighth Judicial District Life Member
Garfield Heights Kiwanis Club Charter Member
Case Western Reserve University Athletic Hall of Fame Member
Magistrate Terease (Tess) Neff
Court of Common Pleas, Cuyahoga County, Juvenile Division
Magistrate Terease (Tess) Neff was appointed to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division in January 2007. She presides over the delinquency cases, hears juvenile civil protection orders, and has been the assigned jurist for the Juvenile Re-Entry Court since 2011. In 2013, the Juvenile Re-Entry Court was the recipient of a statewide award presented by the Department of Youth Services and the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges recognizing the court’s successful and innovative program.
Magistrate Neff is a long-standing member of the Ohio Association of Magistrates and she currently volunteers her time on several executive committees within the county. Also, Magistrate Neff serves on the Juvenile Court’s Local Rules and Procedures Committee, and was on the executive committee for the Juvenile Fugitive Safe Surrender project that took place in the summer of 2014. This initiative was the first ever Juvenile Safe Surrender in the country.
Judge Denise Nancy Rini
Court of Common Pleas, Cuyahoga County, Juvenile Division
Judge Rini has spent her entire career of the practice of law focusing on Juvenile Court with issues surrounding children & families of Cuyahoga County. At the age of 40, she began law school with the intention of practicing juvenile law. She was elected Judge in the Juvenile Division in November 2012, and was seated on January 1, 2013.
She was a founding partner of the law firm of Bartos & Rini, LPA, which concentrates on Juvenile Law. Judge Rini was a Guardian ad Litem, and remains on the Guardian ad Litem Advisory Board. The Guardian ad Litem Project is an organization that fights for our children on a daily basis to ensure their rights are protected and families can get back on track.
Judge Rini cares about the children and is fighting for their rights and the protection of all families, though now, Judge Rini has a perspective from the other side of the bench.
Michael Telep, Esquire
Mr. Telep served as the Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor (6 yrs) and Juvenile Court Magistrate (13 yrs-retired). For the past 5 years Mr. Telep has represented juveniles charged with delinquency and traffic, and unmarried parents in shared parenting/custody and child support proceedings. He also serves as Guardian ad Litem for abused/neglected/dependent children, and recently filed a brief for Appellant in permanent custody matter before the 8th District Court of Appeals. Seminar presentations include "Emergency removal of children--due process implications (Ohio State University Moritz College of Law), "Child support termination" (Parma Bar Association) and "Child support modification" Guardian ad Litem Project.
Kelly M. Zacharias, Esquire
Kelly is the Owner/Managing Attorney of the Law Office of Kelly M. Zacharias, and is a former Cuyahoga County Prosecutor. She practices in Juvenile Law, Family Law, and Criminal Defense. She has worked extensively in the areas of Juvenile Delinquency, Child Custody, Child Support, County Children and Family Services cases, and Guardian Ad Litem.
Ms. Zacharias is the Secretary/Treasurer of the Executive Council of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association's Young Lawyers section, and is an active member of the West Shore and Parma Bar Associations. She is the Secretary of the Parma Democratic Party, is on the board of the Cleveland West Art League, and serves on the Rolling on the River Planning Committee for the Greater Cleveland Hunger Network.
She earned her J.D/M.Tax in 2011 from the University of Akron, her M.S. in Forensic Psychology from Tiffin University in 2006, and B.A. in psychology from the University of Akron in 2003. Ms. Zacharias is admitted to the bars of Ohio and the Federal District of Northern Ohio, and is an Accredited Attorney from the Department of Veteran Affairs.
