“Don’t make a federal case out of it” is a common phrase we have all heard. When we say that, we mean that the matter is not as serious as it may first appear and that we should calm down. By implication the phrase suggests that a federal case is indeed a big, momentous thing and that cases in our state courts are not of the same importance or magnitude.
The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio presided over two naturalization ceremonies at baseball stadiums this summer.
Thousands of fans cheered after 60 new citizens took the Oath of Allegiance on July 30 at Great American Ball Park before the Cincinnati Reds took on the Los Angeles Dodgers. The fans then joined the new citizens and United States Magistrate Judge Stephanie K. Bowman in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Before the new citizens lined up on the left field warning track to take the oath, Judge Bowman spoke to them in the stadium's fan zone about the responsibilities of being an American.
The ceremony was the last step of a journey that takes years to complete to become an American citizen. The candidates were lawful residents of the United States who passed required background checks, proven their good moral character, and passed English reading, writing, and speaking tests. They also passed a U.S. history and civics exam.
In Dayton, 20 new citizens from 19 countries took the Oath of Allegiance between innings at a Dayton Dragons game Aug. 5. United States District Judge Michael J. Newman and United States Magistrate Judge Caroline H. Gentry presided over the ceremony.
Vietnam native Tung Xuan Nghiem was one of the people who became a new citizen. He attended Cedarville University and met his wife, Martha, who was studying at Wright State, at an International Student Ministry event, according to the Dayton Daily News.
He said he was proud to become an American.
“The USA is made of immigrants,” Nghiem said. “We just add diversity and bring a unique culture to the USA. I think we bring a lot of talent and love. It’s a core of the U.S.”
This article was provided by courtesy of the Southern District of Ohio United States District Court.
https://www.ohsd.uscourts.gov/naturalization-ceremony-day-air-ballpark-august-5-2025
Practically all citizens agree that the federal judiciary is critically important to our democracy. For citizens to have confidence in and respect for the judiciary, it must be above suspicion. To retain the public’s confidence and respect, the judiciary must not only deliver justice, but also be perceived as doing so. The perception that justice is being done is as important to the public’s confidence in the courts as is the actual occurrence of justice.
In the past few weeks and over the next several weeks, we will experience a large number of decisions issued by the United States Supreme Court. This annual flood of Supreme Court opinions means that we are in June. June is more than just the beginning of summer; it also marks the traditional end-of-term for the United States Supreme Court. The decisions issued by the Supreme Court are typically very consequential and often address critical matters in our democratic republican form of government involving the balance of power, religious freedom, governmental accountability, the scope of freedom, and even the meaning of justice in our modern society. This is a time when the third branch of our national government, the Supreme Court, occupies a major role on the national scene.
https://www.ohsd.uscourts.gov/grove-city-high-school-may-29-2025
In recent months there has been much public discussion regarding the federal courts, especially the United States Supreme Court. Much of the discussion has been about controversial decisions, ethical rules, and judicial temperament. Sometimes underlying these discussions are common misperceptions about the roles and responsibilities of federal chief judges and of the Chief Justice of the United States.
THE CHIEF JUDGE IS NOT THE “BOSS.”
On May 9, Cheviot Elementary School in Cincinnati hosted a naturalization ceremony presided over by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
Students at the school organized the entire event and chose which songs to sing and what poems to read during the ceremony.
United States Chief Bankruptcy Judge Beth A. Buchanan presided over the ceremony.
Other students were able to watch the ceremony live from the bleachers for their gymnasium.
Above the imposing doors of the United States Supreme Court in our nation’s capital appear the words “Equal Justice Under Law.” These four words encapsulate the aspiration of the federal judiciary to do justice to all who come before its courts regardless of their personal circumstances. These four words serve as a cornerstone of the American judicial system.
