Myra Scheurer and Stephanie Williams: Meet the candidates for municipal court judge

CAMBRIDGE − Myra Scheurer and Stephanie Williams will face off during the general election Nov. 7 to serve as the Guernsey County Municipal Court judge next month.

Myra (Enos) Scheurer is a graduate of Cambridge High School, Muskingum College, and Capital University Law School. She active in the community and is a member of the Cambridge Rotary Club, Guernsey County Farm Bureau, Guernsey County Bar Association, Marsy’s Law Task Force, Special Arraignment Protocol Team, and a graduate of Leadership Guernsey. Scheurer has worked at all levels of government and understands of issues related to victim’s rights, public safety, restitution, and rehabilitation. For more than 11 years, she has served as the assistant city law director, where she handles criminal and civil cases in the Cambridge Municipal Court each week. She is also a small business owner as she is a realtor with Coldwell Banker. She has been married to Jeff Scheurer, an automotive design engineer for more than 10 years and they reside in Cambridge.

Stephanie Williams currently serves as magistrate for the Muskingum County Common Pleas Court, Domestic Relations Division. She previously served for 15 years as an assistant Guernsey County Prosecutor and for 19 years as an attorney representing working individuals and families. Williams has prosecuted all levels of criminal cases, ranging from misdemeanor offenses to felonies including rape and murder. In 2019, she was voted Guernsey County's Best of the Best Attorney by Daily Jeffersonian readers. Williams has been a lifelong resident of Guernsey County. She is a graduate of Meadowbrook High School (1991), Muskingum College (1997) and Capital University Law School (2001). She and her husband, Sam, a 27-year veteran of local law enforcement agencies, reside in the Cambridge area. They have four children and two grandchildren.

Here are their answer to the following questions posed by the Daily Jeffersonian:

Why are you running for this particular office?

Scheurer: The Cambridge Municipal Court is very much “The People’s Court." It is often the first place someone will turn to if they have a legal issue. That is why it is important that all people interacting with the court are met with respect, and compassion, and are treated fairly and impartially. Equally important is that the court provides real solutions to the county to keep the public safe and do justice for victims of crime.

I’m running to be the next judge of Cambridge Municipal Court because I care about the community. I have made a commitment to Guernsey County that I am willing to find new ways to work together by continually communicating with all county agencies, law enforcement, non-profits, and churches to solve long-term problems, eliminate gaps, and do justice for victims of crime.

The safety of Guernsey County is our responsibility. If elected judge I will take that responsibility seriously and live up to the lessons I learned so long ago from family and neighbors - to use every day as a chance to make things better for us all.

Williams: I love Guernsey County and want to preserve it for future generations. I think our judges oftentimes get overlooked and overshadowed by flashier top-of-the-ticket offices, but I believe it's extremely important that we elect the right people with the right experience to the bench. If elected, I will be a judge who approaches law and order in our community with a no-nonsense attitude and will be fully committed to ensuring that our communities are safe places to live, work, and raise a family. As a former prosecutor, I know first-hand the importance of protecting the rule of law in our communities. I am proud to be endorsed by the Guernsey County Republican Central Committee, Congressman Troy Balderson, and the Cambridge Police and Guernsey County Sheriffs Deputies FOP organizations.

What are one or two major goals you would have for the court?

Scheurer: (Answer edited for length) Expand community service – currently, the City of Cambridge is the primary beneficiary of community service. I would like to allow townships, councils, school boards, and other government entities to utilize the service of community service workers across the county if needed. It’s important for all public agencies to work together and this would be a step in the right direction.

Eliminate roadblocks to employment - Individuals using the court, can sit in the courthouse for hours as they wait on paperwork, check in with probation, or await a counseling appointment. I would like to see that the time they are waiting is being used wisely. I would like to bring staffing agencies and employers to the municipal court, to allow them to meet with individuals who are successfully completing their probation requirements to obtain gainful employment in real-time.

Guernsey County is a large county, and we all know that having a Driver’s License in Guernsey County is necessary. After someone has served their statutorily required license suspension, I would like to bring the Ohio BMV and local attorneys to the court for an annual “Get Legal Day.” By doing that, we can get people back on the road with valid licenses and insurance.

Williams: I will work tirelessly for continued improvement in the court so that every participant in every court proceeding leaves the court knowing that they had a full opportunity to be heard and that a fair decision was reached. I will also work tirelessly to ensure that the Court offers probation services that help protect the public by strictly supervising those on probation and applying proper sanctions when violations occur but also attempts to combat ongoing substance abuse issues.

What are one or two elements of your background that you feel will serve you and the people if elected?

Scheurer: As Assistant Law Director, I have prosecuted cases in the Cambridge Municipal Court for over 11 years, which means I have been directly involved in thousands of cases each year. I am up to date on applicable case law and very comfortable with the high volume of cases in the municipal court, compared to other courts. I will be able to hit the ground running on day one and easily manage the day-to-day demands of the court and keep cases on schedule. If elected, I will treat people using the municipal court fairly, impartially, and with respect.

It is very common for prosecutors to be elected judges. If elected, I will immediately begin eliminating any potential conflicts of interest by ending my employment as a prosecutor, so that there will be a clear break between cases I had previously been involved in and new cases filed in the court. Further, I have no conflicts of interest with law enforcement based on any personal relationships I have. I will not be wasting valuable tax-payer dollars by bringing in visiting judges.

Williams: My experience truly sets me apart in this election. I served this community as a full-time attorney for 19 years. I prosecuted countless cases during my 15 years as an assistant with the Guernsey County Prosecutor's Office. I have presented countless cases spanning a wide range of civil issues as the result of my 19 years of experience representing people in this and surrounding communities. I have nearly three years of experience as a magistrate, hearing cases and making decisions. With experience comes knowledge. There are many things you can't learn from being a part-time lawyer in this community. I know my way around the courtroom because I've been in the courtroom on a daily basis throughout my career. It is this experience that has prepared me and will serve the people of Guernsey County well if I am elected.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Scheurer and Williams seek to be Guernsey County Municipal Court judge