Editor’s note: The Portager publishes letters to the editor from the community. The opinions expressed are not published because they necessarily reflect those of the publication but because we feel they contribute meaningfully to the local discourse on matters of public interest.
Do you know the names Judge Judy (Judy Sheindlin), who served as a Manhattan family court judge, or Judge Joe Brown, who originally was from criminal court in Shelby County, Tennessee? Or do you know the judges involved in some high-profile federal cases around the country?
In real life, we citizens have two separate legal systems, the state and the federal. We can vote in the state elections.
Do you know the names of the judges you can select in the November election? If not, learn more by linking here: https://www.ohiobar.org/2022-judicial-elections/. We have several state selections to make, including for the Ohio Supreme Court and the Eleventh District Court of Appeals.
The Supreme Court of Ohio may be the race that you are most familiar with, as we have two new women candidates, Terri Jamison and Marilyn Zayas, running for this high office and advocating for change. Also, we will decide who will serve as the chief justice of the Supreme Court. Current Associate Justice Jennifer L. Brunner, known for her bipartisan voting work when she was Secretary of State, is a strong leader for this position.
Judge Thomas Wright is running for the Eleventh District Court of Appeals, one of 12 appellate courts in Ohio. The judge selection in Appellate Court Race is important as this court decides whether our state laws were applied correctly in trial cases related to criminal activity, family law, personal injury, etc. Judge Wright has served two six-year terms in this position across five of Northeast Ohio’s counties (Portage, Geauga, Trumbull, Lake and Ashtabula). He is one of five appellate judges on this court. He is well respected and has high recommendations. I had the privilege to spend time talking with him informally and found him to be down to earth and understanding that many of us have limited court experience. Visit his website and learn more, and vote for Judge Wright for the Eleventh District Court of Appeals.
Ruth Ludwick, Brimfield
The Portager publishes a range of opinions from the community. To submit a letter to the editor, write to [email protected].