Attorney Donna Freeman to run for Lorain County Common Pleas judge

Attorney Donna Freeman announced her candidacy for a seat on the Lorain County Common Pleas bench in the March primary in a news release Friday. A magistrate for Lorain County Domestic Relations/Juvenile Judge Frank Janik, Freeman is running as a Democrat for the seat currently held by Judge John Miraldi. The six-year term commences Jan. 2, 2025. John Miraldi is rumored to not be running for reelection, though he has not yet publicly announced his decision, nor has he responded to a message seeking comment on his plans left by The Chronicle-Telegram. Freeman, a Lorain resident, began her career in the legal field as a mediator with the Domestic Relations Court in the Family Court Services Department, according to her campaign news release. She mediated custody and visitation issues with separating parents and made written reports and recommendations to the court. While working full time as a mediator, Freeman earned her law degree from the University of Akron School of Law. She then served as an assistant prosecutor in the Civil and Juvenile and Children Services divisions of the Ashland County Prosecutor's Office. Freeman then became an assistant Lorain County prosecutor, representing Lorain County Children Services for several years before moving on to felony criminal matters, prosecuting murders, sex crimes, drug trafficking and violent crimes for nearly eight years. She became a magistrate for Janik in 2019, presiding over juvenile delinquency cases, domestic violence protection orders and private custody cases. Freeman is active in the Lorain County Bar Association, where she serves on the Ethics Committee. She said she values the integrity of the court, one of the many reasons she is seeking office. "I have spent my entire close to 30-year career serving the public in a legal, prosecutorial or judicial capacity," Freeman said. "I believe my experience as a mediator, assistant prosecutor and a magistrate make me uniquely qualified for this seat. As a magistrate, I strive every day to treat families and individuals who come before me with respect and dignity, while always making public safety my priority. I would be honored to continue to serve the citizens of Lorain County as a judge of the Common Pleas Court." Freeman is the first candidate to officially file petitions to replace John Miraldi. Attorney Giovanna Scaletta-Bremke, a Republican, has also announced her plan to run to replace John Miraldi, but had yet to officially file with the Lorain County Board of Elections as of Friday. There are six judgeships up for election in the March primary. Janik, a Democrat, has filed for re-election, and Democrat Dan Petticord — chief of the Civil Division at the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office — has filed to replace Common Pleas Judge James Miraldi, who is unable to run for re-election due to judicial age limits. Common Pleas Judge Chris Cook also has filed for re-election, according to the Board of Elections. No other candidates had officially filed as of 2 p.m. Friday. The deadline to file to run in partisan races in the March 19 primary is 4 p.m. on Dec. 20.