Miraldi retains seat as Lorain County Common Pleas judge

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge John R. Miraldi pulled out a win in the Nov. 6 general election defeating challenger Jenifer Berki Merrill to retain his seat on the bench.

According to unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections Miraldi, 58, pulled in about 58.81 percent of the vote with

86 percent of the precincts reporting throughout the county.

As of press time, he received 46,211 votes to Berki Merrill’s 28,853.

“I’m grateful to the voters of Lorain County for their overwhelming support,” Miraldi said.

Miraldi will begin his second six-year term on Jan. 2, 2019, and will be paid $147,600 a year.

Before the election, Miraldi said he will continue his work running the first drug treatment court in general division of the Lorain County Common Pleas Court, adjusting mandatory sentencing and improving pretrial services and bond.

“The purpose of the bond is to insure that the defendant shows up at all court proceedings,” he said.

“The problem is that many defendants have no money and cannot post even the smallest of bonds.

“The cost of jail is paid by our county taxpayers. If a person has a low level felony and a scant criminal history, that person should not be punished just because he/ she does not have any money.

“People should not sit in jail while their case is pending just because they are poor and taxpayer money should not be spent on needlessly keeping certain offenders in jail. I fully support pending legislation that is intended to address this issue by reducing bond amounts and increasing pretrial services.”

In other news, Lorain County Common Pleas Judges Raymond J. Ewers, D. Chris Cook and James L. Miraldi won in their unopposed races in the Nov. 6 contest.

Domestic Relations Judges Lisa I. Swenski and Frank Janik won their unopposed races as well.

Miraldi