Ohio GOP Justice Sides with Democrats to Swing Some Outcomes

Republican Ohio Supreme Court Justice Patrick F. Fischer’s vote may not widely be viewed as being up for grabs like former Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor’s was before she stepped down at the end of 2022.

But a series of decisions following O’Connor’s departure has made something apparent: that he’s willing to side with the seven-member court’s three Democrats on certain issues, like self-defense, last year’s abortion ballot measure, and the rights of those injured on the job.

Just don’t call him a swing vote.

“I am my own boss,” he said in an interview. “No one tells Pat Fischer what ...