The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Trapp, Lynch elected to Ohio 11th District Court of Appeals
Mary Jane Trapp and Matt Lynch have won seats on the Ohio 11th District Court of Appeals.
Mary Jane Trapp, 62, returns to the appellate court bench after serving as an 11th District judge from 2007 to 2013. She defeated Casey O’Brien 131,389 to 112,864, according to unofficial final results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.
In May she ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. General election judicial races in Ohio are nonpartisan.
Trapp is replacing retiring judge Diane V. Grendell. The six-year term begins Feb. 10.
“I’m incredibly pleased and honored to go back to the job I love to do,” she said.
Trapp said there won’t be a learning curve because she’s been on the bench before. She said she’s ready to “go back and bring myself up to date.”
She said she’s also “getting the band back together” with at least one of her former law clerks rejoining her.
Lynch, 67, is a former state representative. He defeated Darya Klammer 139,379 to 111,094, according to unofficial final results from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.
In May he ousted incumbent Colleen Mary O’Toole in the Republican primary.
His six-year term begins Feb. 9.
Lynch did not immediately return a voicemail message left at his office. In his News-Herald election questionnaire, he said he wants “fair, firm and swift justice,” as an appellate judge.
Appellate judges in the 11th District review lower courts’ cases for errors in the law in Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula, Portage and Trumbull counties.