Judicial Panel Accepting Applications to Fill Vacancies in Cuyahoga, Licking County

For Immediate Release:                                            Contact: Amanda Wurst

Monday, February 1, 2010                                         614 644-0957/614 832-7512

                                                                                    Amanda.Wurst@governor.ohio.gov

Judicial Panel Accepting Applications to Fill Vacancies on Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court, Licking County Common Pleas Court

Columbus, Ohio - The Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel is currently accepting applications to fill vacant seats on the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court and the Licking County Common Pleas Court.

The Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court seat became vacant on December 31, 2009 due to the retirement of Judge Timothy F. Flanagan.

The Licking County Common Pleas Court seat became vacant on December 31, 2009 due to retirement of Judge Jon R. Spahr.

Applicants for the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court and the Licking County Common Pleas Court positions must be residents and registered electors of Cuyahoga County or Licking County, respectively, and not yet 70 years old on the day they begin their duties, as dictated by Ohio law. In addition, they must be admitted to practice law in Ohio and have maintained their legal license for six years prior to assuming the judicial post or served as a judge of a court of record in any jurisdiction in the United States.

To continue service in the position, the appointee must run in the November 2010 general election. All applicants for the current vacancies in the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court and Licking County Common Pleas Court are encouraged to submit completed Declarations of Candidacy to their respective county Boards of Election by the February 18, 2010 deadline.

To apply for any judicial vacancy, applicants must follow the guidelines set forth by the Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel to ensure their eligibility for appointment.

Applications must be submitted directly to the judicial panel and will then be distributed to the at-large and regional panel members. Additional details about OJARP and the application process can be found on the OJARP Web site at www.ojarp.org.

All materials submitted by applicants for a judicial vacancy will be considered public record under Ohio law. Applicant communication with panel members must be directed to the entire panel; all attempts to contact or influence a panel member are prohibited. Applicant questions and concerns should be addressed to Kent Markus or Jeff Ruppert in the Governor’s Office at (614) 466-3555.

Applications for the Cuyahoga County Domestic Court appointment must be received by 5 p.m. February 23, 2010.  Candidates for the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court must be available to interview in person on March 5 in Columbus. Individual candidate times and interview locations will be determined at a later date.

Applications for the Licking County Common Pleas Court appointment must be received by 5 p.m. March 8, 2010. Candidates for the Licking County Common Pleas Court must be available to interview on March 26 in Columbus. Individual candidate times and interview locations will be determined at a later date.

Governor Strickland has selected the following individuals to serve on the regional
panel for the current Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court vacancy:
 

James S. Cahn, senior partner, Hermann, Cahn & Schneider, LLP

Sharon Sobel Jordan, president and chief executive officer, Center for Families and Children

Vanessa Whiting, partner, Roetzel & Andress LPA

Matt Zone, councilman, Ward 15, Cleveland City Council

Quentin McCorvey, senior vice president for corporate diversity strategies and programs, Key Bank Corporation

Joyce Goldstein, founder and partner, Goldstein Gragel LLC