Ohio Court Vacates Contempt Order Over Escrow Payments

COLUMBUS, Ohio - An Ohio appellate court that has already ordered a new trial on damages in a lease-purchase dispute has vacated a trial court contempt finding against the tenant-buyer who failed to make $32,337 in escrow payments after the initial verdict as required by the trial court. Meyer v. Chieffo, No. 08AP-867 (Ohio Ct. App., 10th Dist.).

In its June 11 opinion, the 10th Appellate District agreed with Dominic Chieffo that the trial court's authority to order escrow payments ended with the original judgment.

Chieffo is defending a lawsuit by Phillip Meyer, the owner of a property Chieffo …