Judge Cronin says she's quitting

YOUNGSTOWN — Judge Maureen A. Cronin will be retiring from the Mahoning County Common Pleas Court as of July 1 after having been a judge of that court for 13 years.

Judge Cronin, 52, of Canfield Road, made the announcement in a news release faxed to the media early this morning from her chambers, and she was to conduct a news conference today concerning her departure.

“At this stage of my life, I would like to explore other opportunities, such as sitting by assignment as a visiting judge, developing a mediation program, pursuing teaching opportunities or seeking other elected positions,” the judge said in a prepared statement. Gov. Ted Strickland will appoint someone to succeed her until the next general election.

A 1971 Ursuline High School graduate, Judge Cronin received a bachelor’s degree in social work from Youngstown State University in 1975, served as a county Children Services Board social worker from 1977-83, and received and her law degree from the University of Akron in 1986. After serving as an assistant city law director, she became the city’s first female prosecutor in 1988 and won election as the county’s first female common pleas judge in 1994. She was re-elected in 2000 and 2006.

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