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Stephanie Mingo



Office:
Franklin County Municipal Court Environmental Division

Age: 45

Residence: New Albany, OH

Email: stephaniemingoforjudge@gmail.com

Website: https://www.mingoforjudge.com
https://www.facebook.com/MingoForJudge/
https://www.instagram.com/judgestephaniemingo/

Occupation: Judge

Education: J.D. from Capital University Law School

Work Experience: Judge Environmental Court Division Appointed January 2019

Affiliations: Columbus Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association, Christian Non-Denominational

Family: Married with 2 children

(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):

Judge, Franklin County Municipal Court Environmental Division- Appointed January 2019.

(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

As an attorney my first years of practice were devoted to serving the most vulnerable citizens of Franklin County in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court. In my capacity as a Guardian Ad Litem, I represented the best interest of children who were the subject of custody cases due to divorce or abuse and neglect. This experience exposed me to the trauma that families in crisis experience every day in Franklin County. Many of the cases involved some issue of mental health, drug abuse, poverty, unemployment and/or lack of adequate housing. Similar to the defendants that come before me each day in Environmental Court, these individuals represented the most vulnerable among us. The experience was nothing less than a master class education on the importance of compassion and appreciation for the many diverse citizens that come through the legal system with a wide range of issues. As an officer of the court it is paramount that we approach each and every day with compassion and understanding for those most in need. In my position as Assistant Chief Legal Counsel for the Ohio Auditor of State, I developed a compliance skill set that has allowed me to seamlessly transition from public practice to presiding on a bench focused on compliance. In this role I was responsible for providing legal counsel to over 200 field auditors performing audits of public entities throughout the state of Ohio. This position allowed me to develop as a highly qualified, experienced compliance attorney. The position also created within me, a profound appreciation of the importance of compliance in the success of any entity, organization or agency. The primary goal for the outcome in all Environmental Court cases is compliance. My skill set in this regard is sharper than most and lends to my successes on the bench. As an Assistant Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney, my case load required m to practice in Environmental Court on behalf of the County. This experience most certainly enhanced my qualification for presiding on the bench.

(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?

Honesty, integrity, and consideration for our fellow citizens and respect for the rule of law are woefully missing in the current environment of which we live. Elected officials and most especially members of the judiciary must be standard barriers of these virtues as we move into the future. While imperfection is a part of my life, the pursuit of these standards is a high priority and is reflected in the way that I have lived publicly and in the private relationships and experiences that I have enjoyed. Of all of my professional experiences that have led me to retain my position as Judge, none is more important than the last nine months that I have spent as the Environmental Court Judge. As the first woman to preside over the Division since its creation in 1991, I have presided over more than 3,000 cases. As the current Environmental Court Judge, I manage a docket larger than any courtroom in Franklin County Municipal Court. My experience over the last nine months, successfully streamlining and adjudicating over Franklin County’s housing, building and zoning code violation cases, qualifies me as the most prepared and best choice for this position. As the current Environmental Court Judge, I have sought to meet with interested civic associations and community groups throughout Franklin County to ensure that they are acquainted with the work of the court on behalf of residents and view the court as a partner in creating and maintaining safer and cleaner communities. To that end, I am committed to reaching out to all of the court’s community partners to provided education and feedback from on the . state of environmental issues as they relate to housing and building code compliance.