The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
3 vying to be Common Pleas Court Judge
Three people are vying to replace retiring Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Forrest W. Burt.
Three people are vying to replace Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Forrest W. Burt who is retiring at the end of the year due mandatory age limitations restricting state judges from seeking office past age 70.
David M. Ondrey and Matthew Rambo ran uncontested in the May Republican and Democratic primaries respectively. The Nov. 6 general election is considered a non-partisan race. Also vying for the seat is Geauga County Public Defender Bob Umholtz, who entered the race as an independent.
There are 66,732 registered Geauga County voters according to elections board records.
The position pays $127,450 annually during the six-year term, which begins on Jan. 1.
Here is some of what the candidates had to say on the election questionnaires sent to them by The News-Herald.
Ondrey
Ondrey, 67, a Chardon resident, is an attorney at Thrasher Dinsmore & Dolan, LPA.
He said he would like to see swifter decisions.
“I would enforce discovery deadlines and trial dates,” he said. “While taking enough time to make the proper decision, I would determine outcomes as quickly as possible.”
Ondrey said he would also investigate whether a drug court is necessary and affordable in Geauga County. This includes researching existing drugs courts both in terms of budgets and results. If it turns out that establishing one would be practical, he would advocated for it to the Geauga County commissioners.
Additionally, he said he wants to reduce docket backlog. This would be accomplished by investigating “specific cases which have lingered too long and dispose of each as expeditiously as possible.”
Rambo
Rambo, 39, is a Russell Township resident and is an attorney at Collins & Scanlon LLP.
He said that Geauga County is one of the few in Northern Ohio that has not taken advantage of specialized dockets like drug courts, mental health courts and veterans courts. He said establishing a specialized dockett would be one of his top priorities.
“Many of the Geauga County residents that find themselves in a courtroom suffer from an underlying mental health issue,” he said. “Specialized dockets can
help make sure that those people with an underlying mental health issue are identified and given the extra attention they may need to ultimately succeed. Specialized dockets also serve as a pathway to increased funding.”
Rambo said he also wants to ensure cases are resolved during the time guidelines set forth by the Ohio Supreme Court. He said the court’s “primary function is to make decisions and resolve cases such that justice is not delayed.”
He also wants to explore avenues for the court to be more involved in the Greater Geauga community through “service opportunities and engagement with the residents of the county to ensure that the judicial process remains transparent and open to the public.”
Umholtz
Umholtz, 67, a Burton resident, is Geauga County’s Chief Public Defender. He is the only one of the three candidates with previous elected experience having served 24 years as a Kirtland City Councilman-At-Large and more than 20 as council president.
He said he is frequently asked about the opioid epidemic and why the county does not have a drug court. He said itt is worth looking into, but is not the only component of successfully addressing addiction treatment through the court system. He said people in recovery must eventually return to a normal life, “which is a particularly sensitive time during which environmental stressors often create the temptation for relapse.” Assistance in the form of longterm sober living facilities is a component Umholtz said the county must have in place.
Umholtz also said he wants to continue to work with Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Carolyn Paschke to explore options that will divert veterans from the criminal court.
He also said that civil cases can often move at a snail’s pace and more expeditious and less costly options are needed. Mediation of child custody cases, Early Neutral Evaluation and Summary Jury Trials are all options which either need to be expanded or initiated, Umholtz said.