Akron Bar Association Announces 2023 Judicial Ratings

The Akron Bar Association Commission on Judicial Candidates was 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, candidates are asked to supply information about their campaign websites and social media pages to populate the site.

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 majority vote 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 Municipal Courts Committee, Common Pleas & Appellate Courts Committee, Family Law Section, Probate Law Section, the Chair 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 legal writing samples. References for the candidates are interviewed and intensive interviews of the candidates are conducted.

This year, the Commission, chaired by Attorney Kerri Keller with Attorney Don Malarcik serving as vice-chair, evaluated the judicial candidates running in the below listed races in the November 7, 2023 general election. Please visit http://www.YouBeTheJudgeSummitCounty.com for information about each of the races.

The 2023 ratings are as follows:

In addition to the Barberton Municipal Court races, there are three Akron Municipal Court seats up for election, but the incumbent candidates are all running unopposed, so they were not evaluated. Judges Annalisa S. Williams, David Hamilton, and Nicole Walker will appear on the ballot for those seats.

The Akron Bar Association was founded in 1875 and is an Ohio not-for-profit corporation with a membership base of over 1,700 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 and investigating grievances against attorneys with a Summit County mailing address.

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