Office: For Judge of the Eleventh District Court of Appeals
Term Beginning 2/10/2021
Age: 58
Residence: Warren
Email: electkovoorjudge@gmail.com
Website: http://www.votekovoor.com
Social Media:
Occupation: Attorney
Education: J.D. from University of Akron School of Law and B.A. from University of Rochester
Work Experience: Former Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor 1998-2002, Private Practice 2002-Present
Family: 3 adult children, 3 young grandchildren and elderly widowed mother
Affiliations: Religious: Christian. Member of the Ohio State Bar Assn. and National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Current President of the Trumbull County Republican Women’s Club, Former President of the Rotary Club of Howland Twp.
Endorsements:
Bar Association Ratings:
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
N/A
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I will bring a new outlook and sensible approach to the 11th District Court of Appeals. I am a practicing attorney who has served my community for over 22 years as both an assistant prosecutor and as defense counsel. I have been appointed by the court to represent indigent clients as well as being privately retained counsel in my practice, Kovoor Law, LLC. I have represented clients in courts throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois ranging from Municipal, Family, State, Federal and Appellate Courts. I have litigated thousands of cases in criminal, civil and domestic court and tried more than 40 cases to a verdict. I have a diverse practice and I have represented people from many different cultures, with varied viewpoints and needs.
As such, I am adept at evaluating both sides of an issue. I have successfully fought for many people’s civil rights when government entities over-reached and violated them and in two particular cases, White v. Bukowski, et al., No. 14-3185 (7th Cir. 2015) and Rafferty et al. v. Trumbull Cty, et al, No. 17-4223 (6th Cir. 2019), I won landmark decisions.
My years of experience in the areas of criminal, family and civil rights and appellate law make me uniquely qualified to be a Judge on the 11th District Court of Appeals. On the bench, I will ensure that all parties are heard, that both sides of the issues presented are carefully considered, and the law is consistently applied as written. I will safeguard fairness and justice to the residents of the Eleventh District.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am running for the 11th District Court of Appeals because I have called Northeast Ohio my home for over 30 years. It is the area where I have practiced law and raised a family. During this time, I have advocated in court for the State and for my clients, both retained and appointed. Through this lifetime of experience, I have had the opportunity to see the good that a Judge can do, both in the courtroom and as a member of the community. When in the courtroom, I will ensure that everyone is given the opportunity to have their appeal heard in a fair and unbiased setting, influenced only by the letter of the law and the evidence presented. As a member of the community, Judges have the opportunity to engage with the public as non-partisan advocates for understanding not only the State Constitution but the American Legal System as a whole. As an immigrant, I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to grow up with the protections afforded by the American Legal System and this experience lead me to pursue a career dedicated to these practices and traditions.