Login | April 19, 2024
Akron Bar Association Announces 2016 Judicial Ratings
Published: October 28, 2016
AKRON––The Akron Bar Association Commission on Judicial Candidates has been established by the Akron Bar Association to evaluate candidates for local judgeships. The Commission rates the candidates “Excellent,” “Good,” “Adequate,” or “Not Acceptable.” Ratings are based on seven criteria: integrity, legal knowledge and ability, professional experience, judicial temperament, diligence, personal responsibility and public and community service.
The Akron Bar Association has created a website – http://www.YouBeTheJudgeSummitCounty.com – to not only promote the Commission’s ratings, but to serve as a central source of information about the local judicial candidates appearing on the November ballot. In addition to the ratings, links to the candidates’ websites and social media pages can easily be found.
All ratings require a majority vote of the Commission; a rating of “Excellent” requires two thirds supermajority of the Commission. The ratings are not intended to be a comparison or endorsement of candidates, but only represent the Commission’s evaluation of each individual candidate’s qualifications for the specific office sought.
A rating of “Adequate” requires a vote of a majority of the Commission members present. If a candidate is rated “Adequate,” a second ballot is taken to determine if the rating “Good” will be awarded, also requiring a vote of the majority of the Commission members present. If a candidate is rated “Good,” a third ballot is taken to determine if the rating “Excellent” will be awarded. The “Excellent” rating requires the affirmative vote of a two-thirds majority of the Commission members present.
The Commission is comprised of 28 experienced members of the Akron Bar Association selected by its Common Pleas, Municipal & Appellate Courts Committee, Family Law Section, Probate Law Section, the co-chairs of the Commission and the Bar President. No more than 50% of the Commission may be from any one political party. All candidates complete a questionnaire containing extensive biographical data and submit relevant materials, including writing samples. References for the candidates are interviewed and intensive interviews of the candidates are conducted.
This year, the Commission evaluated the judicial candidates running in the election scheduled for November 8, 2016.
9th District Court of Appeals: Term Beginning 2/9/17
Diana M. Stevenson ADEQUATE Thomas A. Teodosio EXCELLENT
9th District Court of Appeals: Term Beginning 2/11/17
Lynne S. Callahan EXCELLENT
9th District Court of Appeals: Term Beginning 2/10/17
Donna J. Carr EXCELLENT
Court of Common Pleas - Domestic Relations Division Begin 1/6/17
Ron Cable GOOD Katarina Cook GOOD
Court of Common Pleas - General Division Begin 1/3/17
Joy Malek Oldfield GOOD Scot Stevenson GOOD
Court of Common Pleas - General Division Begin 1/5/17
Alison Breaux ADEQUATE Todd McKenney EXCELLENT
The Akron Bar Association was founded in 1875 and is an Ohio not-for-profit corporation with a membership base of over 1,400 members consisting of lawyers, judges, paralegals, legal staff, law students, and paralegal students. In addition to serving our members, we serve the public by providing referrals to pre-screened lawyers, Notary Public seminars, testing and supplies, and investigating grievances against attorneys with a Summit County mailing address.