Justia Government Contracts Opinion Summaries

The Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the court of appeals reversing the summary judgment entered by the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas in favor of Warrensville Heights in this real property dispute, holding that the agreement between the parties in this case was valid and enforceable.The Beachwood City School District Board of Education sought approval from the state board of education for a transfer of territory it annexed in 1990 to the Beachwood City School District. The Warrensville Heights City School District Board of Education, whose district the annexed territory was a part of, objected. In 1997, Beachwood and Warrensville Heights agreed that the territory would not transfer to the Beachwood City School District but that the districts would share the tax revenue generated from real property located within the territory. The court of common pleas granted summary judgment for Warrensville Heights, concluding that the parties' agreement was not valid. The court of appeal reversed. The Supreme Court affirmed, holding that the 1997 agreement required neither approval nor a fiscal certificate and therefore was valid and enforceable. View "Beachwood City School District Bd. of Education v. Warrensville Heights City School District Bd. of Education" on Justia Law

The Supreme Court reversed in part and affirmed in part the judgment of the court of appeals denying a writ of mandamus sought by Steven Armatas, holding that Armatas was entitled to a writ of mandamus but that the court of appeals correctly denied attorneys fees.Armatas sought a writ of mandamus to order Plain Township Board of Trustees to produce an invoice for legal services performed on the township's behalf. The township declined to produce the invoice, arguing that it did not possess the invoice and had no duty to provide it. The court of appeals denied the writ, along with Armatas's related claims for statutory damages, attorney fees, and court costs, concluding that the requested records were not public records. The Supreme Court reversed in part, holding (1) Armatas was entitled to a writ of mandamus under the quasi-agency test; (2) Armatas was entitled to statutory damages and an award of court costs; and (3) Armatas was not entitled to attorney fees. View "State ex rel. Armatas v. Plain Township Board of Trustees" on Justia Law