The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Bilancini announces run for common pleas
Judge whose term expires not seeking reelection
Avon Lake Municipal Court Judge Darrel Bilancini announced Sept. 15 he will seek a seat on Lorain County Common Pleas Court in 2022 to fill the seat currently held by Judge Mark Betleski, according to a news release.
Betleski, whose term expires in December 2022, is not seeking reelection.
First elected to Avon Lake Municipal Court in 2005 as a part-time judge,
Bilancini was re-elected in 2011 and 2017 and has been at the helm since the court became full time in 2014.
Bilancini, born in Lorain where he lived for 32 years, is the son of Jacqueline Bilancini and former Lorain firefighter John Bilancini, and brother of nine siblings.
Bilancini attended Lorain St. Mary grade and high school and graduated in the second graduating class from Lorain Catholic
High School in 1971.
While attending John Carroll University from 1971-75, he worked summers at Lorain U.S. Steel in the coke plant and docks.
During law school at Cleveland Marshall College of Law from 1975-78, he maintained employment at the law departments of the cities of Lorain and Cleveland.
From 1981 to 2011, Bilancini joined his long-time law partner, Jerry Savoy, in a civil litigation practice centered in downtown Elyria.
For 30 years, they participated in a trial practice in multiple county common pleas courts throughout Northeast Ohio.
In addition to his elected judicial experience, Bilancini has served as a referee in the Lorain County Juvenile Court from 1979 to 1981, acting magistrate in the Elyria Municipal Court from 2004-05 and for over 10 years as mediator and arbitrator in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas General Division.
Bilancini and his wife, Cindy (Kirchner), of 42 years, a registered nurse, have three children.
Although his campaign committee’s fundraising activity will not begin until November 2021 for a primary election in May 2022, the “Bilancini for Judge” committee requests friends and supporters of Bilancini to go to the campaign’s website — BilanciniForJudge.com — for information on how to help with the campaign.