Author: ctaylor1

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
None

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I started in Toledo Municipal Court as a Public Defender Intern during law school. After I passed the bar (May 1997) I was hired as a staff attorney for the Public Defender’s Office in Lucas County Juvenile Court. In January of 1998 I was hired by the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. I began in the Court of Common Pleas General Division as the Child Victim Prosecutor. In that role, I handled all cases of felony abuse on children. I handled every case from investigation to Grand Jury, and finally all the way to trial. I practiced in all 10 courtrooms of the General Division and tried close to 70 jury trials. In 2007 I was promoted to Deputy Chief in charge of the Juvenile Division of the Prosecutor’s Office. I have been in that role ever since. As Deputy Chief, I am in charge of training new prosecutors on the law and trial skills so that they may be promoted to the General Trial Division. I also take on a full caseload of my own. I have charged and successfully certified to the adult division many juveniles charged with Murder, Felonious Assault, Aggravated Robbery, and Rape.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have spent my career protecting the public. First in Adult Court and now in Juvenile. I want to continue that work from the bench. My career has taught me that protecting the public does not just come from a sentence of incarceration. Treatment and other alternatives are at times the best way to keep a person from future recidivism. I have handled thousands of criminal cases in my career. I am well versed in the rules of evidence and current case law. Although I have not worked in the Civil arena, I do my best to keep up with the case law in that area as well. As someone who has been in front of most of the bench in Lucas County I will be able to bring the best from every Judge that I have practiced in front of as well as try to avoid the pitfalls of those that came before me. Finally, I believe I have the temperament to fairly and impartially judge each case on its specific merits. At the same time, I will be respectful to everyone that comes in front of me and run the most efficient docket that I can.

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Dayton Municipal Court Magistrate: 2009 – present (part-time)

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
Recognizing that a Judge is an impartial arbiter in cases that come before the Court, it is an important leadership position in the community.

I have worked collaboratively, yet independently, as a former elected member of a local school board and current member of city council. I am committed to the legal profession by serving as a life fellow in both the Dayton and Ohio Bar Associations. I have held a leadership position with the Dayton Bar (Treasurer) and the Oakwood Rotary Club (Secretary).

I graduated from the University of Dayton School of Law and remain active in that academic community. In the past I was involved UD’s volunteer income tax assistance program, an adjunct professor in family law, and a member of the law school alumni association. I currently teach at the school and I am involved in the moot court program. These commitments to the local community, legal community, and academic community have offered me important leadership opportunities.

My general law practice has provided me immeasurable non-judicial legal experience. I have practiced in many courts throughout the Second District Court of Appeals jurisdiction. I have observed excellent jurists in the past twenty years of my practice. The Court of Appeals handles different types of cases and disputes. Having a varied and diverse legal experience is important to the role of Court of Appeals Judge. It is these non-judicial legal experiences and leadership positions that qualify me to be a judge.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I was born and raised in the Miami Valley and I am committed to the community. My wife, Eileen Epley, and I raise our two children here. Safety and opportunity are important to us as parents.

In addition to serving as a part-time Magistrate in Dayton Municipal Court and the prosecutor’s office in Vandalia, I have practiced in all six counties that make up the Second District Court of Appeals. I have represented clients in civil, criminal, probate, and family law courts. I teach Appellate Practice and Procedure at the University of Dayton School of Law and I serve as the chief appellate prosecutor for the Vandalia prosecutor’s office. These practice areas have provided me with a unique and necessary perspective for the position of Court of Appeals Judge. I have a strong work ethic. I balanced academics and athletics at Denison University as a four year varsity soccer player.

I am running for Court of Appeals Judge because of my past and present commitment to the communities the Court serves and the community where I live and raise my children. I believe it to be an important role and the reason I am running to be Court of Appeals Judge.

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I have no prior judicial experience.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I am a local attorney and have been in practice for 30 years. My practice includes Juvenile defense, estates and guardianships. Over my lifetime I have been an Asst. Attorney General in Franklin County, past president of the Van Wert Chamber of Commerce and currently the head of the Van Wert Public Defender’s Office. Over the past 40 years I have actively coached and mentored children in and around Van Wert. My motto is “Families First for Van Wert”.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
There is no better position to assist in raising and leaving a lasting impression upon the children of Van Wert County than as Judge of the Van Wert County Juvenile Court. It is time for a change and based upon my experience I believe that I am truly the best candidate for this position.

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Judge, Ninth District Court of Appeals, 2015-present. Judge, Akron Municipal Court, 2014

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I actively practiced law daily from 2002 until taking the bench as Judge in 2014. I focused my practice mainly on domestic, juvenile and probate issues in many courts and in many counties. I also represented children as a CASA and as a guardian ad litem in both domestic and juvenile courts. My countless courtroom experiences as an attorney provided me with a solid foundation in the legal process and in courtroom procedures. Understanding the issues my clients faced enabled me to be a fair and compassionate advocate on their behalf and brought stability to their lives.

Further, my legal training helped me tremendously while serving on the Copley-Fairlawn School Board for 14 years. I have a keen understanding of how administrative agencies operate and brought that knowledge to my service on the board. I received mediation training from the Ohio Supreme Court and was a mediator for Summit County Juvenile Court for many years, helping families to resolve sticky issues of child care and custody.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am seeking a second term as Judge on the Ninth District Court of Appeals because I am the best candidate for the job.

I currently have five years of experience in this seat and have heard over 1,000 cases and been the author judge of nearly 400 opinions. I have heard capital murder post-conviction appeals, criminal, misdemeanor, and traffic appeals; civil appeals that include medical malpractice, corporate and contractual disputes, and evictions among many others. Family courts produce divorce and post-decree divorce appeals, spousal support, child support and child custody appeals. Juvenile courts frequently terminate parental rights and I have heard many, many permanent custody appeals. The list goes on to include many others including administrative appeals such as student expulsions and worker’s compensation.

I served as Administrative Judge in 2017 and Presiding Judge in 2018 – the year we moved the entire Court from the Ocasek Building after 33 years to Main Place. I am the only one of the five judges who doesn’t live in Summit County, bringing diversity to the Court – nearly 700,000 of the districts’ residents live in Lorain, Medina and Wayne Counties.

I love the randomnicity of this position – every day brings a new assortment of disputes looking for a resolution and I eagerly seek a sound, lawful, legal opinion that brings closure for the parties. I am running for this seat because I hold service to others as a high calling and humbly ask for the opportunity to continue to serve as Judge of the Ninth District Court of Appeals.