The Domestic Relations Court hears divorces, custody cases, child support and domestic violence civil protection orders.  As you can imagine, these are generally not happy cases.  People come before this court in the worst times of their lives.  They are heartbroken, angry, oftentimes in financial difficulties, and unfortunately, abuse and domestic violence are issues far too often.  Divorce and custody matters are truly traumatic for all involved, especially the minor children.    

In domestic relations cases, the judge hearing the case has to listen to the unique facts of each individual case and make distinct decisions in that case, understanding how that decision will impact spouses, parents and children.  The legislature has set forth factors that we need to consider, but it is up to the judge to determine how much weight to give to any factor.

Oftentimes, we don’t really think about the other duties that a judge has – such as managing the operation and budget of the court.  Here in Mahoning County, the Domestic Relations Court currently has a budget of roughly 1.6 million dollars.  Approximately 1 million of that is designated for salaries of court employees.  So, the Judge will be controlling the court’s dockets, managing the hiring and/or firing of employees, setting the court personnel policies, and most importantly, determining how funds are expended and the court’s budget.    

Main priorities:  We need a domestic relations judge who will strive to reduce the high conflict inherent in Domestic relations cases and make sure that the parents, spouses and children are not further traumatized by the court system.  We need a judge who will streamline court procedures and make the courts accessible for all.  We need a judge who will be a good steward of taxpayer funds and administer justice compassionately and fairly for all, while holding everyone accountable for their actions.