Ohio Fair Courts Alliance

Common Cause Ohio is a founding partner in the Ohio Fair Courts Alliance. The Alliance is a diverse network of organizations, community leaders and concerned citizens dedicated to creating a court system that exemplifies and protects equity, fairness and justice for all. The founding members include: Common Cause Ohio, Dayton NAACP, Greater Cleveland Congregations, Ohio Environmental Council, and Ohio Voice.

Our Values
Like Common Cause Ohio, the Ohio Fair Courts Alliance believes in a court system that exemplifies and protects equity, fairness, and justice for all.

Our Vision
The Ohio Fair Courts Alliance is guided by our vision:

• The courts should be free to make decisions based on law and fact, free from the corrupting influence of money and special interests.
• Everyone deserves their day in court, and we all deserve equal justice under the law.
• Judges should be educated about how systemic biases in the justice system impact outcomes and work to address them.
• The judiciary should represent all voices and perspectives of the communities they serve.
• Raising public awareness about barriers to justice is the first step to achieving fair and equitable courts.

Our Goals
As part of the Ohio Fair Courts Alliance, Common Cause Ohio has the following goals.

• To raise public awareness of the importance of our courts and impartial judges through our Speakers Bureau.
• To build a stronger coalition across Ohio to win reforms.
• To pass stronger rules to limit the influence of money and special interests on the courts.

Ready to host a Fair Courts presentation?

We have a trained group of speakers excited to come speak to you and others in your organization about Ohio’s courts. We can help you understand, for example:

• The overall structure of the court systems in Ohio
• The difference between state and federal courts
• How the courts impact us
• Pros & cons of how we select judges
• Why we need fair and impartial courts
• Challenges and opportunities facing Ohio’s justice system
• What the public can do to improve our courts

Request a Fair Courts Presenter >>

This a non-partisan civic engagement project. Presentations requests should be made at least two weeks in advance to allow sufficient time to try to accommodate your request.

Potential Audiences for Speakers Bureau Presentations

• High School Civics Classes
• Faith Groups
• Fraternity and Sorority Chapters
• Book Clubs
• Indivisible & other activist groups
• Nonprofit sector
• Re-entry populations
• New Americans
• Neighborhood Clubs
• Civic Leagues
• League of Women Voters Chapters
• Boys and Girls Clubs
• Urban Leagues