Thomas Joseph Moyer (April 18, 1939 – April 2, 2010) was an American jurist and the chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court from 1987 to 2010. A member of the Republican Party, he died suddenly on April 2, 2010, at age 70. The Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center, headquarters of the Ohio Supreme Court, was named in his honor in 2004. Pre-Supreme Court Until his death, Moyer was the longest-serving state chief justice in the United States. Born in Sandusky, Ohio, he attended Sandusky High School and went on to receive both his undergraduate and law degree from The Ohio State University. He served as chairman of the board of directors of the O.S.U. Alumni Association, as well as the board of trustees of Franklin University. From 1979 to 1987, Moyer served on the Tenth District Court of Appeals for Ohio, which covers Franklin County. Prior to his appointment, he served as the president of the Columbus Board of Education. During his tenure there, the board found itself in the middle of desegregation fights, chronicled in the book Getting Around Brown. He also served for four years as an executive assistant to Governor James A. Rhodes (R-Ohio) and eight years in private practice in Sandusky. Moyer was married and lived in Columbus. He was re-elected in 1992, 1998, and 2004. As judge Moyer presided over the DeRolph decision dealing with school funding, as well as the late 1990s' legal battle over tort reform. Although a Republican, Moyer had a strong belief in the principles of stare decisis. In 2001, he created a task force on guardians ad litem in Ohio. In 2004, when the court moved into new quarters, some controversy ensued over the cost involved. On May 15, 2004, the building was dedicated by U.S. Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Under Moyer's leadership, the court: Started the Off-Site Court program after taking office in 1987. The Court visits two local counties per year, and educates high school students about the judiciary. The Court has visited 50 counties, offering a chance to view proceedings to 28,000 Ohioans – 22,000 of whom are high school students. Revamped, in 1989, the statistical case reporting system for judges in the Rules of Superintendence (Sup.R. 37 Appendix A) to increase the accuracy and efficiency of reporting. Created a separate statistical case reporting section at the Court. Amended, in 1996, the Rules for the