OHIO Judges consider bid for top state court

A Democratic state justice is retiring.
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- Two Mahoning Valley jurists are considering running for an open seat on the Ohio Supreme Court in next November's general election.
Judge Mary DeGenaro of the 7th District Appeals Court and Judge Diane V. Grendell of the 11th District Appeals Court met Monday with an Ohio Republican Party committee screening candidates to run for the high court.
Judges DeGenaro and Grendell, both being screened for the seat held by Democratic Justice Francis Sweeney, each met for about an hour with party screeners. Justice Sweeney, who will be 70, is retiring.
"I think it went well," Judge DeGenaro said afterward. "I was able to answer their questions and give them an idea who I was personally and professionally."
Judge Grendell said she also thought her interview went well. "I'm in the top running," she said. "I'm in the top two, I think."
According to the state Republican party, other jurists who met with party screeners included Judges Kathleen Sutula of Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, Stephen Powell of the 12th District Appeals Court, Judith Lanzinger of the 6th District Appeals Court, and Sara Lioi of the Stark County Common Pleas Court.
Career backgrounds
Judge DeGenaro is in the third year of a six-year term and was elected in 2000.
Before being elected to the appellate bench. Judge DeGenaro was in private practice. She holds a bachelor's degree from Youngstown State University and a law degree from Cleveland State University.
From 1992 to 2000, Judge Grendell was a Republican state representative. Judge Grendell holds undergraduate degrees from Baldwin-Wallace College in Berea and a law degree from Cleveland State University.
Jason Mauk, a spokesman for the Ohio Republican Party, said screeners will recommend to the full state committee later this month whom the party should endorse in the open and other high court seats.
Additional seats
Other high court seats up for grabs next year include those of Chief Justice Thomas Moyer, and Justices Paul Pfeifer and Terrence O'Donnell, all Republicans.
Justices Moyer and Pfeifer are expected to seek re-election. Justice O'Donnell is expected to seek election to the seat to which Gov. Bob Taft appointed him in May.
Justice O'Donnell would be seeking to fill the unexpired term of former Justice Deborah Cook, who was appointed to the federal bench.
Republicans control the high court, 5-2.
Democrats are expected to screen candidates for the state Supreme Court later this fall.