There’s finally movement on the court calendar in the sprawling Scioto County corruption cases — but not much momentum.
Former Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis and his wife Lori are now scheduled for pre-trial hearings on March 3 at 11:30 a.m. in Scioto County Common Pleas Court.
The hearings will be handled by retired Judge D. Dean Evans, who was specially appointed to oversee the Davis case.
Meanwhile, former Scioto County Economic Development Director and Southern Ohio Port Authority president Robert Horton and his wife Lioubov Horton are set for another status conference by phone on May 6.
As with previous conferences, attorneys — not defendants — are expected to participate.
Everyone Has Waived Speedy Trial Rights
All parties involved in both cases have formally waived their right to a speedy trial, meaning there is no legal clock forcing prosecutors to move quickly.
If past status conferences are any indication, the May 6 call in the Horton case is unlikely to produce major developments. Similar hearings in recent months have resulted mainly in additional delays and future court dates.
In short: the cases remain in limbo.
What This Means for Scioto County
While county leaders are trying to move forward with new economic development efforts — including the proposed Google data center project — the corruption cases that reshaped local government are still unresolved.
That uncertainty matters.
Bryan Davis remains on paid leave from his elected position. If he is ultimately found not guilty or if charges are dismissed, he could legally return to his seat — the same seat currently being filled by Commissioner Will Mault following Davis’s suspension.
Until a trial happens, that question hangs over county government.
Justice Still on a Slow Track
Residents hoping for closure will likely need patience.
Between waived speedy trials, repeated status conferences, and no trial dates on the horizon, the legal process continues to move at a crawl.
For now, the next key dates to watch are:
- March 3, 11:30 a.m. — Pre-trial hearings for Bryan and Lori Davis
- May 6 — Phone status conference for Robert and Lioubov Horton
We’ll continue following both cases and will update readers as soon as anything meaningful happens.