Election: Who's running for judge on Franklin County Common Pleas Court, General Division?
Franklin County voters get to judge the judge candidates on the general election ballot this fall and decide who oversees our Common Pleas Court in four general division courtrooms.
The Dispatch talked with the eight candidates running in contested judge races about their qualifications.
What you need to know
There are 17 judges in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court, General Division, which handles adult felony cases and bigger civil cases. Eight spots are on the ballot this year.
Eight candidates (including three sitting judges) are running in four contested races for judge.
There are four Democratic judges running for reelection unopposed: Mark A. Serrott, Jeffrey M. Brown, Sheryl Munson and Kimberly Cocroft.
Common Pleas Court races are considered nonpartisan in Ohio and party affiliations do not appear on the general ballot, but candidates run in partisan primaries.
Common Pleas judges in Ohio are elected to six-year terms and the post paid $155,485 in 2022.
Election 2022: What you need to know about Ohio Supreme Court races
Election 2022Meet the candidates for Franklin County Domestic Relations and Juvenile court judgeships
Meet the candidates: Columbus Bar Association’s ratings explained
Below is information on the candidates in contested races, including some of their experience, information they provided in an interview with The Dispatch and ratings from the Columbus Bar Association.
This includes a poll conducted by the bar association of Central Ohio attorneys on which judicial candidates they prefer.
The bar’s nonpartisan Judiciary Screening Committee rates judges based on their qualifications, including education, experience, training, character and temperament, according to their bylaws. This year, the Screening Committee issued star ratings on a scale of one to five with five stars signifying superior qualifications, three stars signifying the candidate meets qualifications and one star signifying the candidate does not possess the qualifications necessary to be a judge.
And in another bar poll, attorneys rated sitting judges on a five-point scale, with five representing excellent, on factors including their objectivity, temperament, knowledge and timeliness.
Zach Gwin vs. Judge Michael J. Holbrook
Zach Gwin (D)
Experience:
2018-present: Assistant City Attorney, Columbus City Attorney’s Office focusing on public nuisance complaints
2017-2018: Associate, Farlow & Associates
2014-2017: Assistant Prosecutor, Columbus City Attorney’s Office
CBA Judiciary Committee: three stars
CBA Preference Poll: 40.1%
What the candidate says: Gwin said he’s running to bring a community perspective to the bench.
“I’ve been living and working and volunteering on the west side of the city for about six years now,” he said. “In my job, I get to represent folks in Franklinton and the Hilltop. I work with underresourced communities and understand that perspective and their experience. I feel that’s not necessarily well represented on bench and I think that’s something I’m excited to bring.”
Gwin said he’s well-suited for the job because of his experience as a prosecutor and defense attorney on both criminal and civil cases.
Gwin has not practiced much in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Gwin has worked on civil cases and one criminal felony case in Franklin County Pleas Court. But he pointed out the work he does now in Environmental Court, which is under Municipal Court in Franklin County but would be under Common Pleas Court in most other Ohio counties.
“I’m really proud about the work I’ve done,” Gwin said. “I’ve been able to close down over 50 drug houses on the west side of the city, two of them on my own street.”
Michael J. Holbrook (R)
Experience:
2005-present: Judge, Franklin County Common Pleas Court, General Division
1988-2004: Private practice attorney
CBA Judiciary Committee: five stars
CBA Preference Poll: 59.9%
CBA Judicial Performance Poll: 3.89
What the candidate says: Holbrook is one of the longest-serving judges on the county bench and one of the few remaining Republicans. He was in the limelight a bit earlier this year when he oversaw the high-profile, seven-week murder trial of former Dr. William Husel.
This is the last term Holbrook can run for before he ages out, since Ohio law says candidates cannot be over 70 when they’re sworn in.
“I want to complete my terms,” he said. “I made a commitment 18 years ago to be a judge. I think I’m a very good judge.”
Holbrook said he does a lot of outreach, teaching the community about the criminal justice system wherever he can.
Jessica Barwell vs. Judge Julie M. Lynch
Jessica Barwell (R)
Experience:
2015-present: Attorney, Wesp Barwell, LLC
2012-present: General Counsel for Columbus Hospitality, LLC
CBA Judiciary Committee: two stars
CBA Preference Poll: 35.3%
What the candidate says: Barwell saidshe hasalways wanted to be in public service.
“I believe working in the judicial capacity is the highest form of public service a lawyer can engage in,” she said.
Barwell has no criminal law experience but she pointed out a large part of the common pleas court cases are civil cases.
Barwell’s practice is in civil law, including matters involving employment, business, contracts, equal employment opportunity and civil rights discrimination.
Julie M. Lynch (D)
Experience:
2005-present: Judge, Franklin County Common Pleas Court, General Division
2003-2004: Judge, Franklin County Municipal Court
2000-2003: Whitehall City Attorney
CBA Judiciary Committee: five stars
CBA Preference Poll: 64.7%
CBA Judicial Performance Poll: 2.83
What the candidate says: Lynch was first elected to the Common Pleas Court as a Republican in 2004. She was reelected to six-year terms in 2010 and 2016 but she switched her party affiliation in 2019, a move some observers theorized was to help her win reelection in an increasingly blue county.
Lynch said at the time: "I've been a registered Republican since I was 18, and 41 years later I do not recognize the Republican Party as it is today."
Lynch narrowly beat the Democratic party-endorsed candidate in the primary election with about 52% of the vote.
Lynch said voters should pick her because of her experience and track record.
“I am a public servant and this is my vocation,” she said. “The more experience you have as a judge, the better you’re able to handle what’s in front of you. For example, on my docket right now I have the largest ever indicted drug case in the history of this state with 80 co-defendants. That requires a lot of experience to know how to handle.”
Andria C. Noble vs. Judge Colleen O’Donnell
Andria C. Noble (D)
Experience:
2011-present: Columbus City Attorney’s Office
2019-present: Civil Division
2011-2019: Prosecutor’s Division
CBA Judiciary Committee: three stars
CBA Preference Poll: 34.7%
What the candidate says: Noble said she brings the experience of a well-rounded litigator who has experience in criminal and civil courts, local and federal.
“I know how vital it is for a judge to be impartial and to have compassion and treat people with respect,” she said.
Noble is a first-generation Portuguese American. She said she’s experienced poverty and a diversity of life experiences. Noble said she wants to be someone on the bench community members can relate to and look up to.
Colleen O’Donnell (R)
Experience:
2013-present: Judge, Franklin County Common Pleas Court, General Division
2007-2013: Associate, Carpenter Lipps and Leland LLP
CBA Judiciary Committee: five stars
CBA Preference Poll: 65.3%
CBA Judicial Performance Poll: 3.63
What the candidate says: O’Donnell said she is dedicated to public service and she’s proud of the work her team has done over the nearly a decade she’s been on the bench.
“I think judicial experience really matters. It is very valuable,” she said. “It allows voters to be able to see a record of dedicated public service, impartiality, fairness and offering everyone in my courtroom that.
Will Ireland vs. Bill Sperlazza
Will Ireland (R)
Experience:
2004-2022: Private practice attorney with a focus in adult felony criminal defense
CBA Judiciary Committee: three stars
CBA Preference Poll: 26.4%
What the candidate says: Ireland has represented over 50 defendants in criminal trials. He spent 17 years representing clients who could not afford an attorney.
“I’ve spent my adult life in the criminal justice system building qualifications,” Ireland said.
Before he was an attorney, Ireland was a U.S. Army Major and a probation officer. Ireland said he wants to create a specialty docket in common pleas court for veterans to connect them with resources.
Bill Sperlazza (D)
Experience:
2005-present: Columbus City Attorney’s Office
2019-present: Civil Litigation Division
2012-2019: Environmental Court/Zone Initiative
2007-2012: Prosecutor Division
CBA Judiciary Committee: five stars
CBA Preference Poll: 73.6%
What the candidate says: In 2019, Sperlazza ran in a special election for judge in the Franklin County Municipal Court Environmental Division and came up a little short. He lost to Stephanie Mingo 51.6% to 48.4%.
Sperlazza said he brings a lot of experience both in criminal and civil law.
“I have spent 17 years in the courtrooms of Franklin County everyday,” he said. “I have worked to do everything I can to make sure fair and just results occur in a court room. I think it’s my time. I want to be the person making those decisions, making sure everyone is treated with dignity, fairness and respect.”
The majority of Sperlazza’s current work for the Columbus City Attorney’s Office is in common pleas court on the civil side.
jlaird@dispatch.com
@LairdWrites
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Franklin County Common Pleas Court general division has 8 candidates
