Category: Uncategorized

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I have served as the Harrison County Probate/Juvenile Court Judge from 2003 until the present and am seeking re-election. I am a Past President of the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges (2014). I am an active member in the Ohio Association of Probate Judges. I have served on the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges Board of Trustees for close to ten years. I serve on the Supreme Court of Ohio Committee on Family and Children, the sub-committee for Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency, and the chairperson for the CHIPS workgroup. I am an instructor at the New Judges Training Seminars which is required for all new judges and sponsored by the Ohio Supreme Court. I serve on the Judicial Conference Juvenile Law and Procedure Committee, the Judicial Ethics and Professionalism Committee, and the Public Outreach Committee. I have served a term on the Financial Committee for the National Association of Juvenile Judges.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I have the benefit of being raised and educated in Harrison County so I know the values, strengths and weakness of my home. I have raised and educated my own family here and have worked to make it a better place. My family has been very active in the community by sitting on various committees and boards ranging from our church to civic and school related activities. My wife and I have placed an emphasis on children by working with school booster groups to ensure that every child has the possibility to succeed. I have coached soccer for fourteen years in various capacities and have enjoyed working with the young men and women and seeing them develop their potential. Prior to taking the bench, I was the Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney for six years and was an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Jefferson County for five years prior to that. Those years taught me about the need to listen to all parties and to let the facts speak for themselves. I have been blessed to be able to back to my home county and serve.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am running to finish the job that my team has started in helping Harrison County Families and Children. Through the Administrative side, the Court has upgraded its computer capacity and is in the process of scanning all probate files into its system. We have an active website with forms and other pertinent information. The Court expects to be certified for a specialized docket in March; a Dependency Court. The Court is actively working to develop a CASA Program for Harrison County to provide GALS to families by the end of 2020. The Court has partnered with the local school system on many projects including working with the Mock Trial Team, Prom Promise, Mentoring, Speakers Corner, and the Alternative School. I am very proud of the work that the team has accomplished and I look forward to working with the team to accomplish even more during the next six years.

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I have served as the Harrison County Probate/Juvenile Court Judge from 2003 until the present and am seeking re-election. I am a Past President of the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges (2014). I am an active member in the Ohio Association of Probate Judges. I have served on the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges Board of Trustees for close to ten years. I serve on the Supreme Court of Ohio Committee on Family and Children, the sub-committee for Child Abuse, Neglect and Dependency, and the chairperson for the CHIPS workgroup. I am an instructor at the New Judges Training Seminars which is required for all new judges and sponsored by the Ohio Supreme Court. I serve on the Judicial Conference Juvenile Law and Procedure Committee, the Judicial Ethics and Professionalism Committee, and the Public Outreach Committee. I have served a term on the Financial Committee for the National Association of Juvenile Judges.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I have the benefit of being raised and educated in Harrison County so I know the values, strengths and weakness of my home. I have raised and educated my own family here and have worked to make it a better place. My family has been very active in the community by sitting on various committees and boards ranging from our church to civic and school related activities. My wife and I have placed an emphasis on children by working with school booster groups to ensure that every child has the possibility to succeed. I have coached soccer for fourteen years in various capacities and have enjoyed working with the young men and women and seeing them develop their potential. Prior to taking the bench, I was the Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney for six years and was an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in Jefferson County for five years prior to that. Those years taught me about the need to listen to all parties and to let the facts speak for themselves. I have been blessed to be able to back to my home county and serve.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am running to finish the job that my team has started in helping Harrison County Families and Children. Through the Administrative side, the Court has upgraded its computer capacity and is in the process of scanning all probate files into its system. We have an active website with forms and other pertinent information. The Court expects to be certified for a specialized docket in March; a Dependency Court. The Court is actively working to develop a CASA Program for Harrison County to provide GALS to families by the end of 2020. The Court has partnered with the local school system on many projects including working with the Mock Trial Team, Prom Promise, Mentoring, Speakers Corner, and the Alternative School. I am very proud of the work that the team has accomplished and I look forward to working with the team to accomplish even more during the next six years.

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Magistrate – Court of Claims of Ohio, May 2006 – March 2013 Staff Attorney – Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, September 2013 – June 2018

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

I would qualify most of my legal experience as “judicial.” I have presided over bench trials as a magistrate, conducted extensive research into complex legal issues, conducted settlement conferences and mediations with parties and counsel, and prepared entries and written legal opinions and decisions for the Court. In private practice, I have represented a myriad of clients and various legal situations: evictions, collections, property damage, breach of contract, fraud. I have also handled litigation in Probate Court and I serve as a certified Guardian Ad Litem in Juvenile Court. Through my experience, I have become well-versed in the rules of evidence and the rules of procedure that govern court proceedings.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am seeking office out of a strong desire to serve the community that I love and in which I have chosen to raise my family, and to do my part to ensure that it remains such as my children grow. I am seeking the bench to restore faith in the Probate/Juvenile Court and return civility to its operation. My desire is to reestablish a position of respect and prominence in the community for the Court, and to foster a return to collaboration with the various stakeholders in Geauga County, including County agencies and elected officials. I will restore fiscal conservatism to the Probate/Juvenile Court. Over the past nine years, spending by the Probate/Juvenile Court has become increasingly wasteful and unmanageable. The Probate/Juvenile Court must return to responsible fiscal habits and be more judicious when spending the precious financial resources entrusted to it through the hard-earned dollars of Geauga County taxpayers. In order to rein in spending, the Court must work cooperatively with the County Commissioners, the Geauga County Prosecutor, the Geauga County Auditor, and the County’s various law enforcement agencies. Additionally, many of the “programs” for Juveniles offered and supported by the Court are duplicative or overlap programs already offered by agencies and entities in the County. The Probate/Juvenile Court should work cooperatively with Ravenwood, the Family First Council, Catholic Charities, and other stakeholders to offer support for Geauga’s families without duplicating efforts. With respect to the Geauga Park District, if elected Judge I will appoint Park Board Commissioners I can trust with backgrounds in conservation, as well as business, to ensure that the Park District maintains its statutory duty to preserve and protect Geauga County’s precious natural resources. After the appointment of such commissioners, I will remove myself from any further direct management of the Geauga Park District except as necessary by law and allow them to operate autonomously.

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GENERAL DIVISION 2009-PRESENT MAT/DRUG COURT JUDGE 2013- PRESENT BOARD CERTIFIED CIVIL TRIAL SPECIALIST 2019 SOUTHWEST OHIO JUDGE OF THE YEAR- SWOTLA 2018 IVAN FASKE INSPIRATONAL AWARD–ONE CITY FOR RECOVERY 2016 HEROES AGAINST HEROIN HUMANITARIAN AWARD FOR GREATER CINCINNAT AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY 2015 MIAMI VALLEY TRIAL LAWYERS JUDICIAL RECOGNITION AWARD FOR JUDICIAL ETHICS AND INTELLECTUAL TENACITY 2015 NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS (NAMI) SOUTHWEST OHIO AWARD IN EXCELLENCE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE/MENTAL HEALTH CATEGORY 2014 NAMI/WARREN COUNTY PUBLIC OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
US ARMY VETERAN PRE- JUDICIAL LEGAL EXPERIENCE TWENTY SIX YEARS AS MASON, OHIO CITY PROSECUTOR TWENTY SIX YEARS AS A CIVIL TRIAL ATTORNEY AND PRINCIPAL IN THE FIRM OF PEELER, MCGARY & ZOPFF LPA

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I AM RUNNING FOR RE-ELECTION TO CONTINUE MY GOAL OF TREATING PEOPLE WHO STRUGGLE WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER WITH THE RESPECT & DIGNITY THEY DESERVE VIOLENT OFFENDERS NEED TO ACQUIRE THEIR REHABILITATION IN PRISON FOR THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS NEED TREATMENT I BELIEVE ELECTED OFFICIALS HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT ADDICTION. IF WE DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE ISSUES THAT COME BEFORE US, THERE IS NO WAY WE CAN DO THE JOB WE WERE ELECTED TO PERFORM

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I am currently and have served as a magistrate for almost seven years. I have presided over custody, child support and juvenile traffic matters.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
In addition to my experience as a magistrate, I also have experience at every other level as an attorney. I have practiced in the Ohio State Courts including Small Claims, Municipal, Common Pleas and the Supreme Court of Ohio. I have also practiced in the Southern District Western Division of Ohio, 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and helped write a Writ of Certiorari in the United States Supreme Court. I have litigated municipal criminal, traffic and vehicular homicide cases and was the Special Prosecutor for the Mental Health Court, which like the Hamilton County Drug Court is certified by the Ohio Supreme Court, non-adversarial and treatment focused. Additionally, I have litigated and defended employment, municipal tax, personal injury, contract and administrative cases on behalf of the City of Cincinnati.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am running for Drug Court because I believe in fairness, restorative justice and transparency. And I believe that I can better administer the Drug Court. Fairness relative to Drug Court means equal access to treatment, reviewing and expanding treatment options, offering individualized treatment and treatment of co-occurrences of mental health and other underlying trauma conditions that lead to substance abuse disease. I believe there needs to be more transparency about who is admitted, what criteria is used for admission, who is rejected or kicked out and on what basis and finally what is the rate of success and/or completion. The Court should track this information and make it readily accessible to the public.

(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)
I am completing my second full six year term on the Stark County bench.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I practiced for over 20 years. I was the Canton City Prosecutor for over 14 years. I also had a private practice in Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Domestic Relations.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I would like to continue my work on the Opioid epidemic. We need to save lives. Approximately six years ago I formed the Stop Heroin From Killing Committee to combat the Opioid problem. Since that time we have offered free symposiums, run radio ads, hosted high school billboard contests and developed a power point presentation to get our message to the public.

(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.