Four seek party nominations for Avon Lake Municipal judge

Paul Kocsis Age: 49 Party: Republican Education: Keystone High School, Class of 1992; Boston University, Class of 1996; Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University, Class of 1999 Family: Wife, Leanne; son, Joshua; daughter-in-law Alexia; sons Elijah, Christian and Luke Job history: Magistrate, Lorain County Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court, 2013-present; attorney in private practice; lieutenant colonel, Ohio Army National Guard Judge Advocate General Corps, 2005 to present; law clerk, mediator, office manager, staff attorney, Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Custody Mediation Project, 1997-2001; law clerk, Shaker Heights Municipal Court, 1997; U.S. Marine Corps veteran, 1992-99. Website: KocsisForJudge.com Allison Manning Age: 43 Party: Republican Education: North Ridgeville High School; Denison University; Capital University School of Law Family: Husband, Nick; children Conner, Avery and Bryson Job history: Magistrate, Elyria Municipal Court, 2010-present; magistrate, North Ridgeville Mayor's Court, 2018-present; assistant prosecutor, village of Put-in-Bay; managing partner, Manning & Manning Attorneys at Law, North Ridgeville Website: ManningForJudge.com Wayne Nicol Age: 43 Party: Democratic Education: Lorain Catholic High School, Class of 1997; John Carroll University, Class of 2001; Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University, Class of 2004 Family: Wife, Denise; children Abigail and Charlie Job history: Associate attorney, Sam R. Bradley, Co. L.P.A., 2004-08; partner, Giardini, Cook & Nicol LLC, 2008-13; partner, Cook & Nicol LLC, 2013-16; president, The Nicol Law Firm LLC, 2017-present; assistant prosecuting attorney, city of Vermilion, 2015-present; prosecutor, village of Sheffield, 2018-present. Website: WayneNicolForJudge.com Geoffrey Smith Age: 64 Party: Democratic Education: St. Ignatius High School; University of Southern California; Case Western Reserve University School of Law Family: Children, Elizabeth and Randall, granddaughter, Rose Job history: Avon Lake law director, 1994-2007; assistant law director, deputy safety service director, city of Lorain; associate and later managing partner, Smith and Smith law firm, Avon Lake, 1983-2004; administrative legal counsel during administration of former Elyria Mayor Holly Brinda; chairman, Primary Purpose Center Inc. Board of Trustees; member, Avon/Avon Lake Chamber of Commerce Board of Trustees. Website: SmithForAvonLake.com Four attorneys are seeking the Avon Lake municipal judgeship being vacated by Darrel Bilancini at the end of the year. The Republicans facing off in the May 2 primary are Allison Manning and Paul Kocsis, both of Avon. The Democrats facing off in the primary are Wayne Nicol of Avon and Geoffrey Smith of Avon Lake. Each party will elect one candidate in the primary. The winners of the two primaries will face each other in November. Avon Lake Municipal Court has jurisdiction over all misdemeanors and violations of ordinances in Avon, Avon Lake and Sheffield, traffic cases, small claims and some other civil cases. Bilancini is forbidden from running for another term on the Avon Lake Municipal Court due to judicial age limits. The Lorain County Bar Association recently released its membership ranking of the candidates. Manning and Nicol were rated "highly recommended" by fellow attorneys and Kocsis and Smith were rated "recommended." What makes you the best candidate for the position? Kocsis: I am the best candidate because of my experience and dedication to the rule of law and the American public. I have the experience of managing a docket as a judicial officer, the experience of supervising a legal environment from the military, and I understand the running of the court system. I have the drive, dedication, and vision to improve the Avon Lake Municipal Court for the public. The improvements I will make to the court will benefit the public and improve their view of the court system. I ask residents for their vote in order to provide the court they deserve. Manning: I am the candidate with the most relevant and well-rounded experience. I have served as a municipal court magistrate since 2010. I have also served as court-appointed counsel at the trial and appellate level and now serve as an assistant prosecutor. Finally, I have managed a successful law firm for 15 years. I have acquired the tools necessary to manage a courthouse and to handle the types of cases that go through municipal court. In addition, I was "highly recommended" by my peers of the Lorain County Bar Association and am the endorsed candidate by the Chronicle Telegram. Nicol: I have been practicing law in municipal courts my entire career. I first practiced criminal defense and then became a municipal prosecutor in 2015. I understand the cases that come before the municipal court. Moreover, I am the only candidate that appears in the Avon Lake Municipal Court on a weekly basis as Sheffield village prosecutor. I am familiar with the communities that the court serves and interact with their citizens both in court and in the community. Further, I am the only candidate rated "highly recommended" in each category in a judicial poll conducted by the Lorain County Bar Association. Smith: I have been practicing law for 40 years. I am a lifelong resident of the court district. I have worked in all of the municipal courts in the area on a regular basis. I have handled all of the types of cases seen in this court, both criminal and civil. This gives me a unique view of what is needed to improve the Avon Lake court.What is the biggest challenge facing the court and how would you address it? Kocsis: The biggest challenge for the court is the lack of understanding of the process by the public. I will address this by making it a priority to ensure transparency of the process and education for the public. By providing information related to the procedures and expectations when appearing before the court, this will allow the public to be knowledgeable about the process prior to coming to court for their case. I will also ensure the transparency of the court so the public is able have access to information that will uphold the integrity of the judicial system. Manning: Judges face many challenges. One of the biggest is reducing recidivism to help make our communities safer. At Elyria Municipal Court I work in the Recovery Court. I see the importance of using different types of tools available to judicial officers to help reduce crime. I also feel strongly that fairness in the court system means that everyone's voice in the court needs to be heard. As a current magistrate I am conscientious in making decisions, I listen to all sides, research the issues, and apply the law as it's written. Nicol: The biggest challenge facing the court is the expansion of the communities (in both population and business) that the court serves. When I began practicing law, Avon Lake Municipal Court was a part-time court. The court has been a full-time court for a number of years now and the number of cases continue to increase each year. I will ensure the proper resources are used and the docket is managed as it has been, to continue to operate the court in an efficient manner. Smith: As a lifelong resident, I have seen the growth firsthand in Avon, Avon Lake and Sheffield, leading to more cases handled by the court. I understand deeply the legal and safety challenges affecting our families and neighborhoods that come with this rapid growth. I also understand that whenever residents interact with the court, their experience should be efficient and exceptional. In order to make that happen, I will bring my 40 years of experience to the job on day one. — Dave O'Brien