VOTE411 Voter Guide

After 15 years of probate practice and my current role as Chief Magistrate in probate court, I am more than ready to assume the duties of judge. As a lawyer I helped families in estate planning and probate cases. Judge Stormer appointed me as a guardian for vulnerable people who had no one to help. As a magistrate, I am the judicial officer in almost every type of probate matter and as chief, I am the “first responder” to many questions. My trial experience in criminal and civil trial courts taught me to clearly and concisely communicate orally and in writing. I honed those skills as a practitioner and use them daily as a magistrate. In addition, experience as a law enforcement officer taught me to analyze and understand people. At the CIA in Langley, VA, I oversaw security operations, interviewed people and investigated threats to the CIA and USA. Lastly, I served as a Parole Officer for the State of Ohio helping parolees successfully re-enter society while protecting the public.

Probate is and has been my passion throughout my legal career. Service to my community informs my entire professional career and personal life. Now as Chief Magistrate, I experience the role of the decider and as a judge, I will continue this service. Probate Courts help people. As a lawyer, I represented many families in probate proceedings which are often difficult, confusing and time consuming. When a family is dealing with one of the most challenging times of their lives, they should be treated with dignity and respect and should be helped expeditiously. Sadly, I experienced something entirely different while I was in practice. Judge Stormer transformed our Probate Court into one that helps and I am proud to have been a part of that transformation. I witness first-hand the hundreds of families we help every year and will continue this attitude of service in our Probate Court.

As a result of the politicalization of our courts, many people now mistrust our judicial system. Some believe that they will not be treated fairly because of a perceived belief that politics plays a role in judicial decisions. I remain steadfast in my belief that politics do not belong in our judiciary. Throughout my time on the bench as a Magistrate, my personal views or beliefs have played no role in my decisions which are fair, just, impartial and based upon the facts and law of the cases before me. During my time as a magistrate, I have also realized that most people do not know what the probate court does, or what types of cases we handle. As Chief Magistrate, I have expanded our community outreach, presenting to many community groups and professional organizations throughout the county. These presentations help people understand the probate process, what other types of cases we handle and many other probate topics. I will continue to expand this program when I am elected judge.

Access to justice remains an obstacle for all courts. Our Ohio Supreme Court challenges every court to make sure that those who appear will understand and be able to navigate the legal process. Socioeconomic status should not prevent someone from having a case heard in probate court and should not be a barrier for them to have a fair outcome. Many individuals do not have the ability to pay an attorney to help them. That is why we have designed our court’s website to provide individuals with valuable information to help them through the probate process. I will continue to improve our website ensuring that it is accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. Even with the information provided on our website, at times more help is needed. With that in mind, I will continue and improve our attorney help desk, which provides an attorney at no cost to help our consumers navigate the estate or guardianship process.

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