Age: 36
Residence: Centerville, OH
Email: gp4judge@gmail.com
Website: Website; gp4judge.com, Facebook; Magistrate Gerald Parker
for Judge, Twitter; @gp4judge
Occupation: Magistrate in Montgomery County Juvenile Court
Education: J.D. from Northern Kentucky University – Salmon P. Chase
College of Law; B.A. from Georgetown College (Major: English and
Minor: Business Administration)
Work Experience: Assistant Montgomery County Prosecuting
Attorney (2007-20012); Associate Attorney for law ×rm Dyer,
Garofalo, Mann & Schultz; Montgomery County Juvenile Court
Magistrate (Currently)
Family: Married with 2 children
Af×liations: Christian
Endorsements: Dayton-Miami Valley AFL-CIO
Bar Association Ratings: N/A
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
I serve as a Montgomery County Juvenile Court Magistrate. In June of
2016 I was appointed and sworn in by Judges Nick Kuntz and Anthony
Capizzi. I primarily oversee Juvenile Delinquency cases which include
all felonies, misdemeanors, traffic and status offenses (such as unruly
and truancy cases) committed by juveniles. Also, I hear child custody
cases where unfortunately children must be removed from their
parent(s), guardian(s), and/or custodian(s) due to them being abused,
neglected and/or dependent. Many of these children will be placed in
the care of Montgomery County Children’s Services. As Magistrate I
have been honored with the opportunity to cover as Judge Anthony
Capizzi’s backup for his nationally recognized Drug/Treatment Court
program for juveniles. This program works with juveniles who are
dependent on illicit drugs and substances. Additionally I have had the
pleasure of covering for the late Judge Nick Kuntz’ truancy docket
working with juveniles who are habitually absent from school. An
overwhelming number of these youth will have some kind of contact
with Montgomery County Common Pleas Court in the near future
which is why presiding as magistrate in juvenile court is preparing me
for the current seat that I am seeking.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a
judge?
My legal career began as an Assistant Montgomery County
Prosecuting Attorney serving under Mathias H. Heck from 2007-2011.
I was quickly elevated to the Criminal Docket where I prosecuted
hundreds of felonies in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court and
tried many cases before judges and juries at every felony level. Almost
immediately after receiving my law degree and becoming a prosecutor I
had the pleasure of arguing before the 2nd District Court of Appeals.
As an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney I worked alongside many
members of law enforcement to protect victims of crimes in
Montgomery County. During that time, I was selected to attend and
completed training at the United States Department of Justice’s
National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina. Outside of the
courtroom, I prioritized volunteering as a mentor, often bringing local
youth interested in the law to observe court hearings. Following my
career as an assistant prosecuting attorney, I joined the litigation
department of Dyer, Garofalo, Mann, and Schultz, specializing in
personal injury, worker’s compensation, and criminal defense. There, I
utilized my trial skills from the prosecutor’s office and tried many civil
cases before the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court as well as
other surrounding counties. To be a good judge it is important to have
played many positions within the courtroom and devote time outside of
the courtroom to build the communities’ confidence in the court
system. Having had the pleasure of representing Montgomery County
and its citizens from the prosecution\’s side, civil side and defense side
qualifies me to not only be a judge, but also to be a fair, unbiased and
impartial judge.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have spent the majority of my legal career serving and advocating for
the citizens of Montgomery County both inside and outside of the
courtroom. Serving in these capacities has allowed me to see the
unfortunate cycle of families who come through our court systems. I
tried felony cases in the exact courtroom that I am running for and
unfortunately am seeing the younger children, siblings and family
members of the people I prosecuted. The issue with this ”revolving
door” cannot be overstated and I want to continue to be a part of the
solution not just from behind the bench, but beyond the bench. While in
private practice, I frequently volunteered my time speaking with adult
ex-felons about sealing and/or expunging their criminal records and
assisting them in receiving their Certificate of Qualifications for
Employment to improve their employability in the work force. I am
proud to serve on the Mon-Day Correctional Institute\’s Facility’s
Governing Board alongside other Montgomery County Common Pleas
Court judges. As a juvenile court magistrate I created an after-school
CrossFit program for at-risk youth where court-involved juveniles are
brought to Centerville CrossFit for intense workouts, learn life skills,
while building self-esteem, discipline, and character. I am a frequent
speaker at local churches, grade schools, and the University of Dayton
School of Law. I currently serve as a mentor for students at Central
State University and the University of Dayton School of Law. I have
collaborated with Parity Incorporated and Montgomery Common Pleas
Court engaging in a “Court Camp” for students. Parity Incorporated
would later nominate me one of Dayton’s Top-Ten African-American
Males in 2018. This type of community-based work is the direction
many courts around the country are headed in order to keep men and
women from entering the court system. It is no secret that African-American
males make up over 1/3 of the jail and prison population and
total nearly six times the incarceration rate of whites. We have never
had an African-American male serve on this court and while we have a
very fine bench, I will bring something new, something more and
something different to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. I am
con×dent that my courtroom experience, qualifications and community
work makes me the better candidate for this seat.