VOTE411 Voter Guide

I began my career in the Summit County Probate Court as a clerk for Judge Bill Spicer. I then became an Attorney for Judge William Baird of the Ninth District Court of Appeals. I started as a Summit County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in 1989. During my ten-year career there, I handled thousands of cases, from low-level drug cases to death penalty murder trials. I prosecuted some of the most sensitive and high profile cases in our county. I personally tried nearly one hundred jury trials, prosecuting murderers, robbers, and rapists, obtaining convictions in an overwhelming majority of those cases. I specialized in handling child physical and sexual abuse cases, as well as sexual assault cases. In my most notable case, I tried and convicted Captain Douglas Prade of the Akron Police Department of the Aggravated Murder of his ex-wife, Dr. Margo Prade, a prominent member of the community. That case received national attention, and has been featured on Dateline, HBO, I & D, and MSNBC.

I am running for re-election to my fourth term in this position. It has been my privilege to serve as your Common Pleas judge for the last eighteen years.

The courts faces many challenges, but we here in Summit County are working very hard to address them. Addiction-related crime continues to be a problem. We have numerous specialty courts that address problems such as addiction, mental health, and reentry-related issues. Our court remains progressive in using cutting-edge approaches and evidence-based best practices to address social issues. Our court's docket is very large, and we struggle to stay ahead of the cases. Unfortunately, gun crimes lead to the senseless deaths of too many victims. Judges must preside over the cases assigned to them. Our job is to be fair, efficient and competent in handling our docket. I strive every day to perform my job in such a manner so that everyone who appears in front of me feels seen and heard, and is treated with dignity and respect. However, if someone is convicted of a serious crime, I will impose serious consequences.

The greatest recurring obstacle to justice that I have seen in the last few years is the reluctance of victims to speak up and speak out. Many will report a crime, but many then recant or refuse to cooperate. This can be for many reasons, such as a relationship with the offender, or fear of retaliation, but sometimes the reason is because the victim wants to seek justice "on the streets". This just leads to more violence and the cycle is repeated.

I have practiced as a trial attorney handling criminal and civil cases in Summit County courts since 2005, and have spent these last 22 years as an attorney listening to the needs of our citizens here in Summit County. I have seen firsthand the dangers we face every day. I am also very involved as a board member with various agencies serving Summit County. These include Community Health Center (CHC) and The Oriana House, and I have worked with Community Support Services (CSS) to advocate for mental health treatment. For more than two decades, I have continuously advised both clients and non- clients on ways to help remedy their problems with homelessness, the disease of drug addiction, and mental health. If elected Judge, I will follow the law. I will ensure that true justice is the goal in every case, no matter how different that might look for an individual.

I believe I am the right candidate at the right time for this seat. I have learned a lot about the needs of our Summit County citizens through my work as a trial attorney and now as a Magistrate. I know that the problems we have here in Summit County can be addressed by having a Judge who understands the immense need for public safety, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and remedies for homelessness. For too long, we have done the same things to address evolving problems. We need a judge who has the ability to listen and follow the law. It matters who we elect to be our bench. I am a Democrat who brings diversity to a bench that does not reflect the look of our county. Our county is diverse, but our Summit County bench is not.

Courts have made our residents feel alienated. People do not feel like they are truly heard when they appear in front of a judge. They feel like they are just a case number; they are not. They are real people with real needs. Each case that comes in my court deserves to be heard with respect, integrity, fairness, and discipline. Fairness may not look the same to every person. But, people should feel like they were heard and respected in my court. People also feel like our Judges can not relate to problems they face. I have been married and divorced. I have children and stepchildren. I had a sister be a victim of the disease of addiction and lose her life just two years ago at a far too early age. I have faced hunger and have seen firsthand what domestic violence can do to a family. Our people need Real Judges with Real Life Experiences. People want to feel like their elected judges understand the problems they face daily. Because of my life experience, I do.

The greatest obstacle is making sure our citizens know they can come to our court and their problems will be fairly listened to and addressed in a timely manner. This includes victims, plaintiffs, defendants, and all litigants. For too long, Summit County citizens have been reduced to a case number. Everyone involved in a case, whether criminal or civil, deserves to have their true day in court. We must ensure equal access to justice. We have the ability to accommodate issues that may arise, whether with transportation to court, childcare, or otherwise. Utilizing virtual court options for some people ensures they do not lose a valuable job or forgo necessary family responsibilities for some court appearances.