Office: Cleveland Municipal Court
Age: 66
Residence: Cleveland, OH
Email: marilynbcassidy@gmail.com
Website: facebook: Judge MarilynCassidy
twitter: @MarilynCassidy @JudgeCassidy
Occupation: Judge Cleveland Municipal Court
Education: JD Cleveland Marshall College of Law, B.S. Magna Cum Laude (Nursing), Syracuse University
Work Experience: Judge Cleveland Municipal Court 2007 to present, Assistant County Prosecuter 1992 to 2007, Associate Counsel Medical Mutual of Ohio 1983-85, Registered Nurse 1976 -1983
Family: Divorced with two adult children
Affiliations: Member Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Assoc, Ohio State Bar Association, American Judges Association, NEOhio Municipal Judges Association, & National Association of Drug Court Professionals. Inducted Sigma Theta Tau National Nursing Honorary 1976
Endorsements: Cleveland Plain Dealer www.Cleveland.com; Northshore AFL-CIO, Laborers Locals 310, 860, 1099; Cleveland Port Council, Maritime Trades Dept; Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Assoc, Black Women’s PAC, Ironworkers Local 17, Cleveland Building &Constrution Trades Council, Pipefitters Union Local 120, Carl Stokes Brigade, Cleveland Firefighters Local 93, Cleveland Area Middle East Org, UAW Northeast Ohio CAP Council
Bar Association Ratings: Rated Excellent by all five bar Associans Judge4Yourself.com; www.,Judge4yourself.com
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
Cleveland Municipal Court 2007 to present Most people who meet a judge will meet him/her in a municipal court. Most of the people that we see are ordinary people . Some have extraordinary problems. I have done the work to be where I am. I have demonstrated both the temperament and competence requisite to the position. I am enthusiastic about providing the best access to justice, a fair and impartial hearing where the rights of all parties are protected, and a resolution of conflict that is fair. I am engaged in community affairs. Most importantly, I will continue to do the work that the citizens of Cleveland elect me to do. I am the better candidate for this position and I respectfully ask for your endorsement. Judicial service in the Cleveland Municipal court is a problem-solving job, in addition to the legal challenges. I have enjoyed helping individuals and families through difficult times and re-directing them on a path to an improved way of life. For one person this may mean getting sober, for another it means successfully re-integrating with the community after incarceration, for yet another it may mean completing high school or further education and gaining employment that will support them and/or a family. It may be a small thing like gaining a valid driver’s license and insurance. I am in my thirteenth year of service as a judge on the Cleveland Municipal Court. I have worked hard to achieve this honor and I enjoy my work. I served as an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor for fifteen years before becoming a judge for a total of 28 years of public service. Over those years I have gained invaluable experience in dealing with people: defendants, their families, attorneys and judges. Cuyahoga County and Cleveland have invested in me by providing advanced education in domestic violence, addiction, human trafficking and a multitude of other subjects. In turn, I have shared what I learn not only by applying principles of best practice in the court room, but by training other professionals and citizens locally, statewide, and nationally. As a nurse I came to the law from a place of caring and protection. I am proud of our court’s problem- solving approach and our many programs including four Ohio Supreme Court certified dockets: Mental health; Drug court; Veterans Court, and Specialized docket for Human Trafficking which I chair. I initiated our specialized docket to assist victims of human trafficking recover from trauma and addiction in 2014. To date, 18 women have completed the program successful, 180 victims have been identified, with about 25 survivors participating actively in our program. Specialized dockets have proven successful in helping participants successfully complete programs. Our diversion programs help those with little to no criminal history learn new coping skills and to avoid a serious conviction such as domestic violence. My goal in sentencing is to help offenders to improve their lives, as well as protection of victims where necessary. This means that mental health issues, addiction issues and the like are squarely addressed in any sentence given. Treatment works. Many offenders succeed and that is the point: to regain a citizen who contributes to his/her community. I bring to the judiciary my experience as a Registered nurse with education and experience in understanding family dynamics, growth and development, mental illness, addiction, and treatment modalities. I have been admitted to the practice of law for 36 years with no disciplinary action (unlike my opponent whose license has been suspended while serving as a juvenile judge) from the Ohio Supreme Court and with 28 years of public service. I have experience with impoverished citizens and concerns with bail, fine and costs, sentencing alternatives; extensive experience with offenders and victims in the criminal justice system including trial practice, litigation both civil and criminal, proven judicial temperament and work ethic. I am committed to maintaining a neutral presence on the bench and providing a fair hearing to all who appear there.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I bring to the judiciary my experience as a Registered Nurse with education and experience in understanding family dynamics, growth and development, mental illness, addiction, and treatment modalities. I have been admitted to the practice of law for 36 years with no disciplinary action (unlike my opponent whose license has been suspended while serving as a juvenile judge) from the Ohio Supreme Court and with 28 years of public service. I have experience with impoverished citizens and concerns with bail, fine and costs, sentencing alternatives; extensive experience with offenders and victims in the criminal justice system including trial practice, litigation both civil and criminal, proven judicial temperament and work ethic. I am committed to maintaining a neutral presence on the bench and providing a fair hearing to all who appear there.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
Why are you seeking this office? What improvements would you make? What is your platform Judges are leaders. Integrity, accuracy, transparency, innovation and positivism begin with us and are passed on to our employees and to those doing business with the court. In addition to our primary responsibility as jurists, we are responsible for the administrative aspects of the court’s business including personnel, policy, specialized dockets, and community outreach. There is much work that has begun and much that is yet to do. Bail Reform & Pretrial Services Implementation and ongoing evaluation of the Arnold Foundation Public Safety Assessment (PSA) and the opening and development of our pretrial services department. These are tools that significantly impact a defendant’s experience and court administration. High Risk DV Docket Our court has initiated a high risk domestic violence docket which utilizes an 11-question questionnaire the answers to which can indicate a high risk for homicide. Expansion of this process is planned for 2020. . Specialized Docket for Victims of Human Trafficking. The specialized docket has proven effective in supporting individuals through recovery from addiction. It has proven to be successful with trauma survivors as well. Since 2014 we have identified 180 victims of HT, 7 healthy babies born drug free, 1 have participated in the program with about 25 currently active. Eighteen women have completed the two- year program. Many mothers have been reunited with their children. 7 have overdosed on opiates and died. It is important that this work continue. Human trafficking is the fastest growing criminal enterprise behind drugs and illegal arms. Our children are at risk. The average age of induction into the sex trade is between 12 and 14 years of age. Traffickers are predators. Additionally, we need to develop an effective and consistent way to address consumers. Cuyahoga County Jail Nine deaths in the last year are unacceptable. Judges are part of the solution to a serious problem. The use of pretrial services has helped significantly reduce our jail population with use of pretrial supervision & reporting and GPS devices. Protection of the community and defendant rights priorities. As a result, jail is reserved for the most violent of offenders or others who present a danger to the community I enjoy work in our problem-solving court. It is gratifying to see someone get sober, get a GED or a valid driver’s license with insurance and move forward on a new path of productivity. These are the rewards of the job and the whole point of what we do.