The presiding judge of Miami County Common Pleas Court has asked the Ohio Supreme Court to appoint a visiting judge to hear a Troy law firm's request to disqualify Municipal Court Judge Elizabeth Gutmann from hearing cases involving the firm.
Lopez, Severt & Pratt filed a motion to disqualify Gutmann on March 28. The firm claims she has engaged in campaigning for Common Pleas Court judicial candidate Stacy Wall, and that Gutmann allegedly made derogatory comments regarding the law firm.
Jeannine Pratt, the other candidate for judge, is the wife of Andrew Pratt, one of the members of the law firm. Both candidates are Republicans.
Gutmann last week filed an entry denying allegations of bias, prejudice and impartiality. She said she can remain impartial in all cases involving the firm.
The motion to disqualify under state law was forwarded to the Common Pleas Court presiding judge. This year, the presiding judge is Judge W. McGregor Dixon, who sits in the Juvenile/Probate Court.
Dixon on Monday asked the court to appoint a visiting judge to handle all proceedings in the disqualification request. The request, he said, was "due to the possible appearance of a conflict of interest."