Debate at Ohio Supreme Court over location for portrait of first female chief justice

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but at the Supreme Court of Ohio, a portrait might be worth even more.

The portrait of retired Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor was removed from the first floor Grand Concourse and placed in the basement. O'Connor was the first woman to serve as Chief Justice and the longest serving woman ever in a statewide office.

The League of Women Voters said O'Connor earned her place in history and her portrait should remain on the first floor.  

"They moved her gorgeous portrait to the ground floor, saying they're going to build a Women-In-Law exhibit," League Executive Director Jen Miller said. "But we think her portrait as the first woman Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court should stay in that main hallway where most visitors visit."

The former chief justice is a life-long Republican who was at odds with much of her party's leadership in the final years of her term on the Court. O'Connor believed citizens should have the right to amend their constitution and also opposed gerrymandered political districts that unfairly favored one party over the other.

Republicans who controlled the Statehouse were outraged when she voted with Democrats on the Court to find the gerrymandered districts to be unconstitutional. Some in the GOP threatened to impeach her and her portrait was removed entirely from the headquarters of the state party.

In a statement to NBC4, the Court said the portrait was "recently moved to a new exhibit space" that is currently under development that will celebrate the "trailblazing contributions of women to Ohio's legal history."  

The statement goes on to say, "At the heart of the new exhibit is the portrait of retired Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, Ohio's first elected female Chief Justice. The portrait will serve as the centerpiece, reflecting a deep commitment to honoring Chief Justice O'Connor's legacy in a meaningful and lasting way."  

The statement said the exhibit will open in the spring, but a visit to the O'Connor portrait shows there is no construction underway for a new exhibit. An angry visitor sent a video to NBC4 showing the planned exhibit space is a closet filled with chairs.  

The League of Women Voters said it would welcome the addition of an exhibit that celebrates women in the law.

"I worry that this is about politics, rather than honoring the history of the highest court here in Ohio," Miller said.  

O'Connor's portrait was placed on the main floor back in 2022 -- although the current Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy and fellow Republican Justices Patrick DeWine and Patrick Fischer, all opposed it.  

In the statement to NBC4, the Court said the current justices voted unanimously to move the portrait to the ground floor level.  

NBC4 learned, however, that is not strictly correct. The vote was made on a routine administrative day and the Court's lone Democrat, Justice Jennifer Brunner, was absent for personal reasons.

Because of the routine nature of the agenda, Brunner said she gave her proxy to Chief Justice Kennedy for voting purposes.

Removing the O'Connor portrait was not on the agenda. When reached by NBC4's Colleen Marshall, Brunner said it was the first time she was questioned about the vote and that she did not believe she could properly object because she willingly gave Kennedy proxy power. But, Brunner said if she had been present, she would have opposed the removal of the portrait from the Grand Concourse.

The League is asking Ohioans to contact the Court and lobby for a return of the portrait to the main floor and for a duplicate to be included in the new exhibit. Miller said it's especially important for little girls who visit the Court to see representation of women.

"It's critical that when folks are walking through that beautiful hallway, that they see a woman. You know, we can't be it if we don't see it. And my concern is that young ladies especially will think that the field of law and courtrooms are not a place for them, and we know it is," she said.

Full statement from the Supreme Court of Ohio

Thank you for your inquiry. The portrait of former Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor was first unveiled on December 9, 2022, and was recently moved to a new exhibit space in the Visitor Education Center (VEC). The Court is currently in development of a new exhibit, Women in the Law, which celebrates the trailblazing contributions of women to Ohio's legal history. The Court voted to add this new addition next to the recently unveiled Careers in the Law display at the VEC, located on the historic ground floor of the Thomas J. Moyer Judicial Center where both exhibits can serve to inspire future generations. In fact, the ground floor is the main entrance where over 11,000 tour visitors arrive annually to begin their exploration of our exhibits.

At the heart of the new exhibit is the portrait of retired Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, Ohio's first elected female Chief Justice. The portrait will serve as the centerpiece, reflecting a deep commitment to honoring Chief Justice O'Connor's legacy in a meaningful and lasting way. It is an elevation of her legacy to inspire future generations of visitors, students, and aspiring professionals. Construction of the Women in the Law exhibit is scheduled to begin this spring.