Ray to lead Ohio panel to screen new judges
6/8/2007COLUMBUS - Gov. Ted Strickland has named recently retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge James Ray to chair a second panel charged with screening and recommending candidates for appointment to judicial vacancies.
Judge Ray will oversee four other at-large members who will be joined by six local members to consider applications whenever a vacancy occurs. The five permanent statewide members will share the workload of the original five-member Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendations Panel named by the governor earlier this year.
"The time we're asking these people to commit to this process is significant, and with more judicial vacancies announced each month, we decided it was time to establish a second group of at-large panel members," Mr. Strickland said.
All at-large panel members serve two-year terms.
Judge Ray served as administrative judge on the Common Pleas Court's juvenile division from 1989 to March, 2007. He previously served as a referee with the court.
The judge earned his bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College and his master's in divinity from Luther Theological Seminary, both in Minnesota. He earned his law degree from the University of Toledo.