Office: Montgomery County Municipal Court
Age: 49
Residence: Huber Heights, OH
Email: twomack2020@gmail.com
Website:
www.tamelawomackforjudge.com
www.facebook.com/tamelawomackforjudge
Occupation: Magistrate
Education: JD from The University of Toledo, College of Law, BA from Bowling Green State University
Work Experience: Full-time Magistrate since January 2008
Family: Married with three children
Affiliations: Ohio Association of Magistrates, Ohio State Bar Association, Dayton Bar Association and Greene County Bar Association
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
On January 2, 2008, I was appointed as Magistrate at Fairborn Municipal Court, where I preside over various criminal, traffic, civil, eviction, and small claims matters. In addition to my full-time profession, I have served in many volunteer roles collaborating to improve our system of justice. In 2012, I was elected to the board of the Ohio Association of Magistrates where I have served as second vice-president, editor of the newsletter, and chairperson of the municipal practice area. In 2016, I was one of two Magistrates serving on the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial Conference’s Criminal Law and Procedure Committee. I continue to work with the Ohio Supreme Court Judicial College mentoring, teaching and planning education programs for Magistrates throughout Ohio.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
Prior to serving as Magistrate, I had extensive experience in courtrooms having worked as an assistant prosecuting attorney and also as an assistant public defender. The opportunity of working from both sides, prosecution and defense, has allowed me to provide a well-balanced approach to administering justice as Magistrate. These positions were also high volume caseloads and prepared me for the demands of a busy municipal court.
I strive to keep the docket running on time and write timely decisions. During these earlier years, I had appeared before many different Magistrates and Judges. I observed and learned from them how to conduct trials, protect the record, and communicate effectively. In 2015, I was honored by my colleagues when they elected me to serve as President of the Greene County Bar Association. I am a devoted public servant with over twenty years of legal experience. I plan to continue to serve in leadership roles on various committees and associations to improve our justice system.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
My family and I reside in Montgomery County and a Judge serves in the jurisdiction where she lives. This is my first time running for an elected office and I am so thrilled to be on the ballot. I decided to run for Judge for the opportunity to make a difference. I have the desire, experience and leadership skills to administer justice and resolve disputes while applying the highest standards of ethics. It is important for a Judge to be free from political influence and make independent decisions based upon a fair and impartial assessment of the facts and understanding of the law.
To strengthen public trust in the judiciary, I plan to transition the Court to an electronic case management system. This will increase efficiency and public access especially because the Court consists of two separate buildings. I will apply for a grant from the Ohio Supreme Court to help cover the cost of the technology. I plan to implement a traffic intervention program that assists defendants with obtaining a valid driver’s license with insurance. This makes for a stronger community. I strongly believe that the Court should create a specialized docket to address the growing issues with drug abuse.
Magistrates and Judges make decisions in the courtroom, but Judges also have the opportunity to bring the community together to design solutions to improve the administration of justice. There have been many changes that effect municipal courts such as victim’s rights were recently added to the constitution, the Supreme Court has recommended changes to improve the bail/bond system, there has been success with specialized drug treatment dockets, and new initiatives for the use of technology to improve the operation of the Court. It would be an honor to serve as Judge of the Montgomery County Municipal Court.