Are Township Trustees Who Opposed Land Annexation a 'Party' Eligible to Challenge Approval in Lawsuit?

State of Ohio ex rel. Butler Township Board of Trustees v. Montgomery County Board of County Commissioners et al., Case no. 2009-0186

2nd District Court of Appeals (Montgomery County)

ISSUE: Under a state law prescribing procedures for the "expedited" annexation of property in a township into an adjoining municipality, do township trustees who exercise their statutory right to file objections to a particular annexation petition thereby become a "party" to that proceeding, with legal standing to file a subsequent mandamus action challenging the county commissioners' approval of the annexation?