Sharon L. Ovington

U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio magistrate Retired 2021 · served 2002–2021 5 signed orders read

Judge Ovington no longer hears cases. This profile is preserved as a historical record of how they ruled.

How Judge Ovington decides

Patterns drawn from this judge's own signed orders. Every observation links to the order it came from.

What persuades

In Social Security appeals, recommends a sentence-four remand where the ALJ mishandled the medical evidence, but declines to award benefits outright unless the disability evidence is overwhelming.

“The Commissioner’s non-disability finding be vacated; ... This case be remanded to the Commissioner and the Administrative Law Judge under Sentence Four of 42 U.S.C. §405(g) for further consideration consistent with this Report”

Procedural preferences

Recommends denying a Rule 12(b)(6) motion filed after an answer and freely granting leave to amend to name the correct entity when justice so requires.

“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint (Doc. #10) be denied”

Cautions

Recommends dismissing a clerk of court on absolute quasi-judicial immunity for a judicial act such as signing a warrant, and judgment on the pleadings for a municipality whose only alleged conduct was by court personnel.

“Defendant Andrea White’s Motion to Dismiss (Doc. #7) be GRANTED”

Signed rulings

A grounded sample of orders signed by this judge, with the verbatim dispositive language.

Wheeler v. Miami Valley Career Technology Center
· 2020-09-02
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Denied

“Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss Plaintiff’s Complaint (Doc. #10) be denied”

Weaver v. City of Kettering
· 2007-10-30
Motions to dismiss (defendant) Granted

“Defendant Andrea White’s Motion to Dismiss (Doc. #7) be GRANTED”

Judgment on pleadings (defendant) Granted

“Defendant City of Kettering’s Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings (Doc. #13) be GRANTED”

Frew v. Colvin (Acting Commissioner of Social Security)
· 2014-04-01
Social security appeal (plaintiff) Granted

“The Commissioner’s non-disability finding be vacated; ... This case be remanded to the Commissioner and the Administrative Law Judge under Sentence Four of 42 U.S.C. §405(g) for further consideration consistent with this Report”

Wright v. Commissioner of Social Security
· 2020-01-06
Social security appeal (plaintiff) Granted

“The Commissioner’s non-disability finding be vacated; ... This matter be REMANDED to the Social Security Administration under sentence four of 42 U.S.C. § 405(g) for further consideration”

Svete v. Cherneskey, Heyman & Kress, P.L.L.
· 2009-11-24
Summary judgment (defendant) Granted

“Defendants' Motion For Summary Judgment (Doc. #54) is GRANTED”

Caseload & timing

From public federal docket records for this judge.

Judge Ovington's directly assigned sample is dominated by criminal-duty search-warrant matters that resolved within days or weeks. Her substantive civil work included Social Security, prisoner, and other civil-rights recommendations, and she later served as a court-appointed mediator. The sample is not random.

A historical record

Judge Ovington no longer hears cases. This profile stays available as a record of how they ruled. If you're preparing for a matter, start from the court's current bench.