The state attorney general's office is looking for new ways to slow foreclosures in court, hoping a recent Ohio appellate court decision will help in those efforts.

A story from the AP says, Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann was largely unsuccessful in his attempt in December to dismiss 40 foreclosure cases around the state. Seven of the cases are still pending, but the others were dismissed for various reasons, Tom Winters, first assistant attorney general, said Thursday.

But Winters said the office was encouraged by a March 20 decision by the 10th District Court of Appeals in Columbus and is looking for similar cases.

"That ruling was the first time that a court in Ohio has held that a mortgage company must prove that it still holds the mortgage to the home before it can proceed with a foreclosure," Winters said. "That's consistent with what the federal courts have done, and that's encouraging."