Donna M. Post

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Magistrate of Probate Juvenile Court Mercer County for 5 1/2 years, since May 2014. Had hearings and contested trials on probate cases from adoption, estates, wills and trusts, guardianships for adult, minor, incompetents, name change, declaratory hearings on trusts, to wrongful death, etc. and conducting hearings and contested trials in Juvenile Court on cases from custody, child support, visitation, grandparent visitation, home state issues, UIFSA issues, abuse, neglect, dependency, delinquency, paternity, shared parenting, contributing to delinquency of minors, truancy, registering foreign orders, probation hearings, initials, adjudications, dispositions, Contempts, bail and bond hearings, and more.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I have been an Attorney for 33 years. I practiced as a solo practitioner in my own office in Celina, Ohio. I did my own work–from intake, to prep of pleadings, to research through trial hearings. I listen. I know how to apply the law to people’s cases.I practiced in Mercer County Common Pleas Court in General, Criminal, Civil, Domestic Relations and Probate Juvenile Divisions, at the Celina Municipal Court, and representing clients in agency hearings for CSEA, JFS, and agricultural agencies. I also practiced in the Appeals Court, researching and writing cases, as well as practicing there. I also represented clients in jury trials in the Municipal and Common Pleas Court Divisions. I served as a guardian ad litem for years in Mercer County Juvenile and Domestic Relations custody and abuse, neglect, dependency cases for children to determine their best interests. I also served as GAL in other counties. I have served as a defense attorney for juvenile cases from truants who wouldn’t go to school because they had lice, to bindover hearings for murder. I have served as appointed counsel through the Ohio Public Defender’s Office for decades, as Mercer County appoints individual, local practicing attorneys who qualify under the Public Defender guidelines, to defendants who are eligible for such services. I have also served clients through out Mercer and surrounding counties in private practice on business law, agricultural law, wills and trusts, and so on. I have worked with people for many years in assisting them through the legal process–from the very young to the elderly. I helped people resolve matters and refer them to outside help of counseling services, addiction services, etc when need be to resolve issues beyond legal matters. My legal experience has been broad and extensive. I brought the ability to research, apply the law and write my own decisions in the Court. I have represented all kinds of people–multi-cultural, townspeople, farmers, laborers, professionals, children and adults, incompetent, physically and mentally challenged, the addicted, mentally ill, those with gender issues, and other issues–real or perceived.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
When I was 10 years old, I was pallbearer for a 3 year old toddler that had been beaten to death by her caregivers through the foster system. Her parents were getting a divorce and the children issues were certified to Juvenile Court who placed her in State care. It was a horrible situation and I did not understand all the legalities that led to her death. But, I felt someone could have done something to prevent her death and felt an overwhelming sense that it was unfair and unjust. That feeling of injustice sparked over little things occasionally until I finally decided to become a lawyer and do what I could to make things better. Further, I am prepared to be on the bench, after having served as Magistrate of this Court. It takes awhile to adjust to the way law is practiced as a judicial officer as opposed to an Attorney, but after these 5 years, I am confident, prepared and ready to serve the public as Judge.