Office: Franklin County – Franklin County Common Pleas Court,
Domestic Relations and Juvenile Division
Age: 42
Residence: Westerville, OH
Email: abkoorn@gmail.com
Website: koornforcourt.com; https://www.facebook.com/KoornforCourt
Occupation: Magistrate, Franklin County Common Pleas Court,
Probate Division
Education: Capital University Law School
Work Experience: Magistrate since 2015; Staff Attorney in Common
Pleas, General Division for 10 years; Prosecutor, Ohio Attorney
General for 2+ yrs; civil litigator for 2+ yrs.
Family: Happily married
Affiliations: Pelotonia Rider and Volunteer since 2008; Secretary-Treasurer Columbus Bar Association Board of Governors; appointed by Council to Westerville Planning Commission for 5 years; appointed to Ohio Supreme Court Commission on Attorneys as Specialists, Ohio Women’s Bar Association Government Sub-Committee Co-chair; OSBA Council of Delegates District 7 Representative for 2 years; Central College Presbyterian Church, Trustee; President-Elect of the Columbus Bar Association; Ohio Association of Magistrates, member
Endorsements: FOP http://www.fop9.org/
Bar Association Ratings: Highly recommended by the Columbus Bar Association Judicial Screening Committee
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
My judicial experience consists of three years serving as a magistrate in probate court plus ten years as a staff attorney in the General Division of Common Pleas Court. My probate court experience includes the appointment of guardians, the placement of children for adoption, the distribution of assets in trusts and estates and approval of mental health commitments. In addition, probate court has a high percentage of cases with individuals who do not have legal representation. This is significant because many of the issues encountered in probate parallel the issues raised in domestic and juvenile court.
In addition, my experience in the general division managing a case docket of 650+ civil cases to ensure they resolved timely will allow me to provide resolution to the litigants in domestic relations matters. This is important because families and children deserve stability and to the extent a legal determination may position them to have that, it is my responsibility to provide it. Another valuable asset I bring to the bench is my research and writing abilities that underlie making a well grounded legal decision. Lastly, I have knowledge, understanding, and commitment to the judicial canons. Ultimately, judges are tasked with making fair and impartial decisions and my record reflects that unbiased and impartial judgment.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a
judge?
My temperament and listening skills qualify me to serve as a fair, impartial judge who respects counsel and their clients. From my experience both on the bench as a magistrate, and in my experience as a former Planning Commissioner, I recognize that when people come to court they have certain expectations of the judge who hears his/her case. Often, this is an individual’s first personal experience with the court and the individual is facing a difficult life situation. These litigants ultimately want to be heard and be treated with respect. It is critically important for the longevity and functionality of our system of governance and justice that the public trust their judiciary. So, it is my goal to conduct the proceedings in such a way that it instills faith in the system by following the law and treating individuals as I would want to be treated.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
Families and children are the fiber of our society and the court is there to protect and preserve the rights of those individuals involved. I was very fortunate as a child to grow up in a loving and caring home. I realize how important the home environment is for a child to ensure he or she becomes a contributing member of society. To the extent I have a skill-set, an education, a demeanor, as well as a sincere commitment to humanity to use the authority vested in me as a judge to make decisions that affect the daily lives of parents and children in a way that comports with the law and offers individuals the opportunity to attend school, have healthy relationships, and live in safe homes – that is what I have always wanted to do. To serve the public in a way that improves the life situations of those calling out to the courts for help, is a responsibility and privilege I hope to humbly fulfill.