David Schroeder

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I have been the Judge in the Ashtabula County Court since 2013. From approximately 1980 through 1983 I served as a Magistrate in the Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I have successfully performed in a multitude of Criminal Justice positions in two states and the Federal Court system. I have been as Assistant Public Defender in Erie County Pennsylvania. I have served as an Assistant District Attorney in Pennsylvania; an assistant prosecuting attorney in Ashtabula County Ohio: the prosecuting attorney for the City of Conneaut Ohio and the Law Director for the City of Conneaut Ohio.

In addition I have maintained a successful practice of law focusing on criminal and civil litigation. The position that I am seeking has a caseload of approximately 60% civil cases. I have extensive experience in complex civil litigation including domestic relations; real estate; personal injury cases; contract cases; insurance law cases; and administrative appeals which are a part of the civil caseload of the Common Pleas Judge.

I am the only candidate with the required civil experience for the position. I have a lifelong personal and professional commitment and respect for Law and Order which I will carry into this position.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have been the Judge in the Ashtabula County Court since 2013. In that time period I have developed highly successful innovative programs utilizing existing court staff and resources at no additional taxpayer expense. Those programs include: an electronic search warrant procedure greatly reducing search warrant preparation time and increasing police officer safety; the first in Ashtabula County to partner with the Ohio Attorney General’s office to collect past due fines and costs which in the year 2019 alone produced over 50,000 in additional collections for the County and court; an Intensive Repeat Offender Operating a Motor vehicle under the influence program which utilizes current technology to monitor repeat offenders for alcohol consumption (Probation reports 95% of these individuals in this program have not reoffended since its inception); an early intervention Domestic Violence program which produces a new risk assessment of the Offender for use in setting bond and a treatment program in our building in partnership with the Lake Area Recovery Center, again at no additional taxpayer expense, and a rolling warrant amnesty program which enables individuals with arrest warrants to voluntarily appear in court, have the warrant recalled and begin the process of resolving their past cases and warrants.

In addition, in partnership with the Geneva Schools/Geneva Rotary and University Hospitals we developed an educational program called Life Consequences where I meet with high school students and discuss the health and legal consequences of behavior.

The traditional criteria that Judicial candidates are evaluated by are Competence; Integrity; Temperament and Experience. I excel in all of these areas.