Marion County GOP recommends Rhonda Burggraf to fill family court judge vacancy

The Marion County Republican Party Central Committee has recommended a current magistrate in the county's family court to fill an upcoming vacancy in that court.

The GOP Central Committee voted to recommend Rhonda Burggraf as the candidate to replace Marion County Family Court Judge Robert Fragale, who is retiring effective Dec. 31, 2022. Judge Fragale announced his retirement earlier this year and spoke to the Marion Star about it November.

Two candidates submitted applications to the Marion County Republican Party Central for consideration - Burggraf and Jennifer Ryan, the chief probation officer and deputy court administrator for the Marion County Common Pleas Court General Division.

According to her resume, Burggraf, who has 31 years in the legal profession, has worked for the Marion County Family Court since 2012. She served as the probate investigator and family services coordinator from 2012 to 2017. She was appointed to serve as a magistrate in 2015.

Prior to joining Marion County Family Court, Burggaf owned and operated her own private practice, Burggraf Law in LaRue, from 2010 to 2012.

Burggraf served as an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Marion County Prosecutor's Office from 1997 to 2009 and for the Crawford County Prosecutor's Office from 1994 to 1997. She served as an attorney and district hearing officer for the Ohio Industrial Commission from 1993 to 1994. She began her legal career in 1991 as a law clerk for the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court in Dayton.

Burggraf was a candidate for a judge's position on Marion County Family Court in 2020 after Judge Deborah Alspach retired from the bench. Gov. Mike DeWine appointed Marion attorney Larry N. Heiser to fill the position.

According to her resume, Ryan's 24-year career in the legal profession includes 21 years working as a judge advocate in the United States Army Reserves. She holds the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Prior to joining the Marion County Common Pleas Court staff in 2021, Ryan served as an assistant prosecutor for the Marion County Prosecutor's Office from 2019 to 2021. She also worked as an assistant prosecutor for the Delaware County Prosecutor's Office (2000-2002) and the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office (2002-2010).

Ryan served as an enforcement attorney for the Ohio Division of Securities from 2010 to 2018. She worked in private practice as an associate attorney for the Law Office of Brian Jones LLC in 2018 and 2019.

Judge Fragale served as a magistrate in Marion County Common Pleas Court Probate and Juvenile Division from 1992 to 2004. From May to December 2004, he served as judge of Marion County Common Pleas Court General Division after being appointed. He then served as a magistrate of Marion County Family Court from 2004 to 2009.

In the November 2008 general election, Judge Fragale ran without opposition and was elected judge of the Marion County Family Court. He successfully ran for reelection in 2014 and again in 2020, both times without opposition.

In a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine, who by Ohio law has the authority to fill judicial vacancies, Marion County Republican Party Central Committee Chairman Ken Stiverson said that "an overwhelming number of committee members voted to recommend Rhonda Burggraf for the appointment to our Marion County Common Pleas Court, (Family Division)."

"The Central Committee members felt that Ms. Burggraf’s experience within the Family Court system for the past fifteen (15) years, as well as holding the position of current Magistrate for the Family Court, makes her the logical choice for the soon to be vacant position when Judge Robert Fragale retires," Stiverson said.

In a post that appeared on the Marion County Republican Party's Facebook page following the candidate interviews on Nov. 19, the party congratulated Burggraf on being "the judge-elect for the Marion County Family Court." That post was deleted from the page later that day.

Gov. Mike DeWine will make the final decision about who will replace Judge Fragale on the Marion County Family Court bench. The governor can go with the recommendation from the local party or appoint someone of his own choosing.

Email: ecarter@gannett.com | Twitter: @AndrewACCarter

This article originally appeared on Marion Star: Marion Co. GOP recommends Rhonda Burggraf to be family court judge