Former chief justice's portrait removed from prominent place at Ohio Supreme Court
Two years after she retired, the Ohio Supreme Court decided to move the portrait of Republican Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor from its prominent spot in the Grand Concourse to the education center in the building's basement.
O'Connor's portrait will be part of a "Women in the Law" exhibit that will be built this spring, a spokesman for the Ohio Supreme Court said.
In December 2022, judicial center staff, three Democrats and O'Connor agreed the portrait should go in the main hallway on the first floor. It was a nod to O'Connor's place in Ohio history as the first female chief justice and someone who served in statewide elected office longer than any woman.
But the three Republican justices at the time − Sharon Kennedy, Pat DeWine and Pat Fischer − voted against the prominent spot. They argued against rush decisions about placement of portraits or diminishing the beauty of the hall.
O'Connor, though a lifelong Republican, aligned with Democrats on hotly contested cases involving redistricting. That put her on the outs with her own party. Lawmakers threatened to impeach her and the Ohio Republican Party took her photo off the wall at its state headquarters.
Former justice Michael Donnelly, a Democrat, said the court should keep O'Connor's portrait in the Grand Concourse on the first floor.
"As the first elected female chief justice in our state's history, she absolutely deserves to have her portrait displayed in that hall. Her legacy is one of advancing the legal profession and the independence of the judiciary for all Ohioans," Donnelly said.
He added, "The hall is now left completely with all males, some of whom cannot compare their level of achievements with Chief Justice O'Connor's legacy. What type of message does this send to aspiring females entering the legal profession in Ohio?"
Other historical figures whose images are in the Grand Concourse include eight presidents, nine U.S. Supreme Court justices, two speakers of the U.S. House and former Chief Justice Tom Moyer, who oversaw the building restoration and served as chief for 23 years until his death in 2010.
"We have relocated the O'Connor portrait to create excitement for the area where her contributions and those of other trailblazing women of Ohio will be recognized," the court spokesman said.
State government reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@gannett.com or @lbischoff on X.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Former Ohio chief justice Maureen O'Connor's portrait relocated
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