Judges name magistrates to speed up court decisions

WARREN -- The 11th District Court of Appeals named two magistrates to help the court accelerate the time required to decide cases.
Atty. Matthew O. Lamb of Cortland was named the court's chief magistrate and Atty. Michael P. O'Day of Ashtabula was named magistrate.
The two lawyers will have responsibility for reviewing actions such as prisoner's petitions for relief. As magistrates, their decisions must be approved by a judge before becoming final.
Qualifications: "Between the two of them, they have over 25 years of appellate experience," said Appellate Judge William M. O'Neill. "You can't buy better experience than that."
Lamb, 40, graduated from Bowling Green State University and earned his law degree from Ohio State University Law School. He has been with the appellate court for 13 years. He was a law clerk for Appellate Judge Judith A. Chrisley for nine years.
O'Day, 43, graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University, received his master's of business degree from the University of Colorado, and earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University. He worked for the appellate court for 12 years and served as law clerk for the Ashtabula County Court of Common Pleas from 1987 to 1989.
He and his wife, Tracey, have two children.
The court hears cases originating from courts in Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage and Trumbull counties.