Office: Marion County – Marion County Common Pleas Court
Age: 52
Residence: Marion, OH
Email: MarkRussellForJudge@gmail.com
Website: N/A
Occupation: Marion Law Director
Education: River Valley H.S. 1983; Ohio University B.B.A. 1987; Ohio Northern University College of Law 1990
Work Experience: Elected Law Director 1996-present; Assistant Law Director 1992-1996
Family: My wife Jodi and I have two beautiful daughters Ashley and Allison. My parents are Jim and Ann Russell.
Affiliations: Marion County Council on Aging Member; Marion Technical College Board – Trustee; Marion Metropolitan Housing Board – Member; Marion County Family Violence Task – Force Founding Member; Marion County Sexual Assault Response Team – Founding Member; Marion County Nuisance Abatement Task Force – Founding Member; Marion County Foreclosure Task Force – Founding Member; Marion Neighborhood Stabilization Program – Founding Member
Endorsements: N/A
Bar Association Ratings: N/A
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
I have served the citizens of Marion County since 1992 in the Marion Municipal Court as a prosecutor. Privileged to have been mentored by both Judge Rogers and Judge Finnegan, I learned firsthand the attributes and best practices necessary to serve the community in the best interests of those coming to the Court seeking justice. I am the most experienced candidate in regard to years of real courtroom experience with a constant focus on ensuring the system works for us, fairly and effectively.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a
judge?
As the most experienced candidate to fill the vacancy created by retiring Judge William Finnegan, I have nearly 30 years of actual courtroom experience. Mentored by both Judge Rogers and Judge Finnegan, I learned firsthand the best practices which are always squarely centered on putting people first, not bureaucratic processes. I will continue to eliminate unnecessary, wasteful processes which get in the way of the justice persons coming to the Court seek.
With your support and your vote on November 6, I will ensure your Common Pleas Court works for you. My history is putting people first. I will continue to eliminate “red tape” and put people first. My public service has resulted in reduced costs to taxpayers. Working efficiently, we were able to cut costs in the Prosecutors Office by over $ 78,000.00 transferring the savings to the Police Department, keeping Officers in our neighborhoods.
With your support, I will continue to hold criminals accountable. For example, too many criminals already having been convicted in one crime are released to commit more crimes. The revolving door at the Common Pleas Court must come to an end. I am the best candidate for Judge to do just that. My established practice is tough sentences for criminals. I have caused to be implemented in the Municipal Court a process of holding convicted persons on probation more accountable, sending them to jail when they violate the terms of their probation. My proven record is one of removing these repeat criminals from our neighborhoods, putting them in jail where they belong, this is only common sense. I will implement change from the current status quo. For example, recently when it was discovered that a public office holder was not doing the job, I stepped forward and brought it to the forefront, without hesitation. We need officials who are willing to speak out for us, as I did. The result: that office is now filing tax foreclosure cases as it should have been doing all along. This is just one example of how hold persons accountable, demanding they work for us. There is an existing injustice in our current County government that others have allowed to exist, with your vote I will demand this injustice be addressed without any further delay. My history is one of implementing positive changes, eliminating waste and achieving the desired ends so that our system serves us.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
The people of Marion deserve the very best. I am the only candidate with a focus on ensuring the court system works for us. With your vote I will continue to implement real change, riding the system of unnecessary bureaucratic processes, implementing real fixes.
With your vote and as your Common Pleas Court Judge, I will continue my focus on ensuring our neighborhoods are more safe. My history is one of fighting for justice for victims of crime. Our courts have lost their way. As the New York Times recently reported: Criminal felons are now 20% less likely to be sent to prison in Marion County, Ohio. (New York Times 09/02/2016) To many criminals already convicted in one crime are released to commit more crimes. The revolving door at the Common Pleas Court must come to an end. I am the best candidate for Judge to do just that. My established practice is tough sentences for criminals. With your support and your vote November 6 the revolving door will come to an end. We deserve safe and secure neighborhoods and to get there burglars and drug traffickers deserve prison time so that we do not have to live amongst them.
My proven record of working for you is one of a wide array of expertise, significantly more vast than that of my opponent. From obtaining the only guilty verdict in a vehicular homicide case, to handling numerous complex civil matters, to working successfully to establish cooperative and productive relationships between the Prosecutor’s Office, Police Department, Sheriff’s Department and the State Highway Patrol. Under my leadership, we have some of the highest success numbers in the State in holding criminals accountable, imposing real sentences. I will continue to implement effective partnerships such as the Domestic Violence Task Force and Sexual Assault Response Team. With your support I will continue to be focused on achieving real results. I am proud to have received the endorsement of Your Marion Fire Fighters IAFF 379 who recognized first hand my commitment to making a real positive difference in the heart of our community – our neighborhoods.
As a founding and current Member of the Council on Aging and as Member of the Board of Trustees of the Marion Technical College I see firsthand the opportunity for even better days ahead for our community, with your vote I’ll continue to implement real, positive change.