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Ohio Supreme Court says Tracie Hunter won't be jailed during appeal

Hamilton County Juvenile Court

Suspended juvenile court judge Tracie Hunter will not have to report to jail Monday morning,  thanks to a ruling late Friday afternoon by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The court, on a 4-3, said Hunter could remain free on her own recognizance while her felony conviction on a felony count of unlawful interest in a public contract is under appeal.

Earlier this week, the Ohio First District Court of Appeals denied Hunter's motion that she not be required to start her six month jail sentence while appealing her conviction. But Hunter's appeals attorney went to the Ohio Supreme Court; and a majority of the justices said she should remain free.

The trial court judge, Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Norbert Nadel, had ordered Hunter to report to the Hamilton County Justice Center at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

Hunter was convicted in October on the single felony count. The jury could not reach a verdict on eight other felony counts against her.

You can read the Ohio Supreme Court decision here.

Howard Wilkinson is in his 50th year of covering politics on the local, state and national levels.