This post is an update to our previous entry dated April 24, in which we revealed Preservation Ohio’s decision to file a motion in a pending legal action in the Seneca County Court of Common Pleas.  That motion asked the Court for permission to act as amicus curiae, or “friend of the court,” which would allow the organization to file briefs on relevant legal points in the case.

This type of involvement in important legal issues involving historic resources is a staple of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Legal Defense Fund. The Fund’s January 2009 Update, for instance, which can be accessed here, profiles the Trust’s amicus involvement in cases involving, among others, the donation of land containing significant archaeological resources, landmark designation for a church building in Washington, D.C., and a property owned by Preservation Delaware, Inc..  A handful of other statewides have filed such actions in local cases, including the Preservation League of New York State.

On Tuesday, April 28, the Court granted Preservation Ohio’s motion. Coverage of this decision from the Toledo Blade can be accessed here.

This is the first time that an Ohio statewide preservation organization has taken this important step. Such action is consistent with Preservation Ohio’s ongoing commitment to work for the future of Ohio’s past through education, partnership and advocacy. In the case, we are seeking to protect the legal and practical integrity of local historic districts, which, in turn, can have an impact in your own community.