DaytonDailyNews.com

The Ohio Supreme Court last week upheld rulings by the Industrial Commission of Ohio and an appellate court that took away disability payments to Henry Lynch because he made money as a crack dealer.

Lynch was injured on a legitimate job in 1967 and was awarded permanent total disability compensation. But in 1997 Lynch was indicted on federal drug charges for selling crack cocaine between Jan. 1, 1994, and July 17, 1997. His drug dealing enterprise brought him $300 to $500 a week in income. He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess cocaine with intent to distribute.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation terminated Lynch's disability payments and declared payments after Jan. 1, 1994, an overpayment. Lynch contested this, eventually taking it to the Supreme Court with the argument that his drug dealing income couldn't be considered because it was illegal.

"We disagree. Lynch cannot use the illegality of his pursuits as a shield," the Ohio Supreme Court said in a unanimous opinion.

Bank study recovers $470,205 for state

A review of 168 state bank accounts by Treasurer Richard Cordray's office found that banks owed the state $470,205.27 because of service fee errors and earnings credits that had not been properly paid over the past several years.

The banks have agreed to the amounts they owe the state, Cordray said in a press release.

While the dollar amounts might seem small in the context of the billions of dollars that move through state accounts, "as always, if we can make a nickel or save a nickel for the people of Ohio, we must do that," said Cordray.

The amounts expected to be credited to the state: Charter One, $11.20; JP Morgan Chase, $104,893.19; Fifth Third Bank, $173,587; Huntington Bank, $54,928.53; KeyBank, $10,733.42; National City, $125,599.07 and PNC, $452.86.

The variances were found in records going back to 2004, the release said.

Voinovich mortgage bill becomes law

U.S. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, was the guest at a White House signing ceremony last week for a bill he and Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., introduced in May aimed at addressing the nation's foreclosure crisis.

The new law, the Mortgage Relief Act, changes current law that forces individuals to pay income tax when they have part of their mortgage loan forgiven or are foreclosed upon because they cannot pay their mortgage.

Before Voinovich's bill, the Internal Revenue Service taxed any loan forgiveness as income.

The House passed the bill last week.

One compromise: the bill is now temporary and expires at the end of the 2009. Still, Voinovich said he was happy that relief will be available for the 2007 tax season.

"This will be a much-needed Christmas gift for many Ohioans," Voinovich said.

O'Connor, Stratton file for re-election

Ohio Supreme Court justices Evelyn Lundberg Stratton and Maureen O'Connor filed petitions with the Secretary of State's office last week to run for re-election. Stratton is seeking a third, six-year term while O'Connor is going for her second. Both justices are Republican.

Stratton was born to missionary parents in Thailand and moved to the United States as a college student. After law school, she was in private practice before her election to the Franklin County Common Pleas Court bench.

On the Democratic side, Judge Peter M. Sikora of the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Juvenile Division in Cleveland, has announced that he is running for the seat currently held by Stratton.

O'Connor served as a Summit County Common Pleas Court judge and Summit County prosecutor before becoming Ohio lieutenant governor under Bob Taft. She was elected to the Supreme Court in 2002.