In the 11th District Court races: Tisone and O'Toole

Voters of both parties in Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Portage and Trumbull counties have strong candidates from which to choose in the races for the 11th District Court of Appeals.
Because of the large geographic area of the court and because the vast majority of people have never had occasion to have a case in the court and don't anticipate doing so, these races can be overlooked. They shouldn't be.
The odds are strong that if you are involved in a legal dispute and are unsatisfied with the outcome in a common pleas court, the district court of appeals is as far as your case is going to get. Only a tiny fraction of legal disputes in the state end up before the Supreme Court of Ohio.
So these are important races, and residents of the five county area should educate themselves about the candidates and should vote.
The races
In the Democratic primary, the candidates are Raymond J. Tisone, 56, of Howland Township, and Mary Jane Trapp, 47, of Russell Township. In the Republican race, the candidates are Paul Brickner, 63, of Willoughby and Colleen M. O'Toole, 43, of Concord. They are seeking the seat being vacated by Judge Judith Christley.
After conducting endorsement interview with all of the candidates, The Vindicator endorses Tisone in the Democratic primary and O'Toole in the Republican race.
Tisone has been in private practice , primarily in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, for 31 years and describes himself as well experienced, yet young enough to make a difference on the court. He has been active in his community, serving on the Howland Board of Education since 1990.
The combination of his busy legal practice, experience in pursuing common pleas and appeals court cases. community commitment and an obvious passion for the law make him a strong candidate for the court.
Trapp also has impressive credentials, as a lawyer and as past president of the Ohio State Bar Association.
But we believe Tisone's more extensive experience arguing the kinds of cases that must be decided at the appeals court level makes him the better choice.
Republicans
In the Republican race, O'Toole receives The Vindicator endorsement.
Brickner is a recently retired U.S. administrative law judge. His experience in hearing appeals of Social Security and Labor Department decisions gives him a firm background in appellate work. He is also has an interesting resume as a legal scholar.
O'Toole would bring a shorter but more varied legal background to the job. In addition, she has an obviously passionate interest in serving on the court of appeals and is a strong proponent of greater computerization of appeals court processes.
More background information on this race will appear in The Vindicator's election section that will run Feb. 23.
We urge residents of the five-county area to pay attention to this race and to vote.