Article published November 01, 2009
TOLEDO: CANDIDATES FOR MUNICIPAL COURT
3 face off for local judgeship
By ERICA BLAKE
BLADE STAFF WRITER
With only one contested judicial race on the Toledo ballot, the three candidates vying for the soon-to-be vacant position say they are knocking on doors citywide to bring attention to the race.
An assistant Lucas County prosecutor, an assistant Wood County prosecutor, and a lawyer in private practice are on Tuesday's ballot for Toledo Municipal Court judge. They each hope to garner enough votes to replace Judge Lynn Schaefer, who has served on Municipal Court since being appointed in March, 2005.
An assistant county prosecutor in Lucas County since September, 2001, Ian English points to his experience in more than 65 criminal bench and jury trials. Saying he became a prosecutor "to make my community better," Mr. English, 39, said he hopes to inspire some of those defendants who are in Municipal Court into choosing a different, more productive path.
"There is an opportunity as a Municipal Court judge to have greater interaction with the community and to have a greater impact on them," he said. "My sincere hope by being a judge in the community is to help inspire some of the people who come before me."
A lifelong resident of Toledo and graduate of Macomber-Whitney High School, Mr. English received both his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Toledo. He spent a few months working in a private law firm - Calamunci, Groth, Joelson & Manore - before joining the prosecutor's office.
Mr. English, who is married to Toledo Municipal Court Clerk Vallie Bowman-English and has one young son, is also an adjunct professor in the University of Toledo's college of health science & human services and a coach on the school's mock trial team.He said he hopes to mentor young people who end up in Municipal Court on criminal matters and make decisions in cases that offer a positive impact on the community.
This is Mr. English's first run for a seat on the bench.
Bill Connelly, Jr., 44, said that growing up in a family of legal minds sparked his interest in the law. But he said it is his experience both in private practice, including civil and criminal litigation, as well as his four years spent as an assistant prosecutor in Wood County that prompted him to seek out a seat on the bench - his first attempt at an elected position.
"At the Municipal Court level, you will see about 95 percent of those coming through the criminal justice system," he said. "If we can reach them early and give them sanctions that help them, I hope to reach them before they get to felony court."
Raised in Toledo, Mr. Connelly is a graduate of St. John's Jesuit High School, Ohio State University, and the University of Toledo college of law.
He said that although it sometimes creates confusion that he is running for judge in Toledo while working in Wood County, he never gave up his South Toledo address and plans to keep living in his hometown with his wife and young daughter.
Mr. Connelly worked as an associate with then Kerger & Kerger for 2 1/2 years before opening a private legal practice in December, 2002. In October, 2005, he became one of five criminal assistant prosecutors in Wood County.
The endorsed Republican in the race, Mr. Connelly stressed reasoned judgment, experience, and integrity as qualities necessary for the bench.
He said that by using resources available through the local probation department - and perhaps other methods that he will continue to seek out - a judge can have a positive impact on someone in the criminal system by fashioning a sentence that focuses on the life skills needed to succeed.
Mark Davis, an independent, has spent his legal career practicing in various courts across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. He said it is because of the interactions that he has had with judges in multiple courts and jurisdictions that he has developed a sort of "best practices" to bring with him to the bench.
Acknowledging that he is often recognized as the "bald legal eagle," in reference to his advertising, Mr. Davis said his practice has been built on his desire to help the "underdog." Specifically, he said most people are frustrated with the length of time it takes to settle a case in court, something he hopes to speed up without compromising the quality of the system.
"My biggest motivation is serving people … to make a difference," he said.
"As a lawyer you can be an advocate, but that role can only go so far," he said. "As a judge, you have the ability to make an impact on people's lives."
Raised in Ottawa Hills, Mr. Davis, 41, has a background in business and law. He is a graduate of Ottawa Hills High School, Miami University of Ohio, and the Ohio State University college of law.
Mr. Davis teaches classes at the University of Toledo's college of business administration as a part-time instructor. He also has served on several community committees.
This is his second bid for a seat on the bench. He was defeated in 2006 when he challenged longtime Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Charles Doneghy.
Contact Erica Blake at:
eblake@theblade.com
or 419-213-2134.
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