Listing of the four candidates running for the Democratic nomination for Mahoning common pleas court judge

Four candidates are running for the Democratic nomination for Mahoning common pleas court judge. The term runs through Dec. 31, 2112. There is no Republican in the race.
An (*) denotes the incumbent.

TIMOTHY E. FRANKEN*

Age: 59.

Home: 9528 New Buffalo Road, Beaver Township.

Education: A law degree in 1978 from the Akron University School of Law; a bachelor’s degree in 1974 from Youngstown State University; a 1966 Ursuline High School graduate.

Employment: Common pleas court judge.

Family: Two sons and two daughters.

Priority: To make sure that the rights of people in foreclosure proceedings are protected by ensuring that those that bring foreclosure actions are doing so according to the letter and spirit of the law.

LOU A. D’APOLITO

Age: 63.

Home: 5750 Lockwood Blvd., Boardman.

Education: A law degree in 1972 from the Akron University School of Law; a bachelor’s degree in 1969 from YSU; a 1962 South High School graduate.

Employment: A general practice/trial attorney since 1973, and an attorney for the Mahoning County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities since 1991.

Family: Wife, Paula; one son and two stepsons.

Priority: Eliminate the backlog of pending cases. Hard work is a priority in solving any difficult problem. The status of active cases has to be closely monitored. Criminal cases present an additional critical element of the right to a speedy trial. Those cases require constant vigilance. There must be a better awareness regarding the criminal docket.

LOUIS M. DEFABIO

Age: 42.

Home: 345 Timber Run Drive, Canfield.

Education: A law degree from the University of Akron School of Law in 1992; a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1988 from YSU; a 1983 Woodrow Wilson High School graduate.

Employment: An attorney since 1992.

Family: Wife, Frances; a stepdaughter, a son and a daughter.

Priority: To run an efficient, yet dignified court. Clearing up any backlog of cases by providing jury trials and by enacting a scheduling system that is meaningful. That is, scheduling cases with attorneys and litigants at times that are available and open for them so that the present system of multiple continuances can be avoided.

JOHN JEFFREY LIMBIAN

Age: 48.

Home: 1418 Cascade Drive, Youngstown.

Education: A master’s of law degree in litigation and dispute resolution in 2005 from The George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C.; a law degree in 1988 from Cleveland State University’s Cleveland-Marshall College of Law; a bachelor’s degree in social studies from YSU in 1982.

Employment: A lawyer.

Family: Wife, Kerry; a son.

Priority: The fair and impartial administration of justice. The top course of action for accomplishing this priority is appropriate scheduling. He would disband the assignment office and the assignment personnel working directly in the court office to ensure that scheduling and rescheduling is done immediately.

PROBATE JUDGE

Three candidates are running for the Democratic nomination to the six-year term. Republican Scott Hunter will face the primary winner in the general election. An (*) denotes the incumbent.

MARK BELINKY*

Age: 55.

Home: 4032 Windsor Road, Boardman.

Education: Completed the International Law Program in Rome, Italy, though Temple University; a law degree from the University of Pittsburgh; a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ohio University.

Employment: Probate court judge.

Family: Wife, Cynthia; four children.

Priority: He rewrote and simplified the court’s rules to make the court more accessible. He will constantly evaluate how the court is operated to make it efficient and cost-effective. The court must have sufficient funding, but practice fiscal restraint. His first budget had no increase.

JAMES LANZO

Age: 63.

Home: 125 Rocky Ledge Drive, Struthers.

Education: A law degree from the Akron University School of Law in 1972; a bachelor’s degree in 1966 from YSU; a 1962 Campbell Memorial High School.

Employment: Struthers Municipal Court judge and owns a private law practice.

Family: Wife, Kristine; three children.

Priority: To make magistrates work 40-hour weeks, hire a Spanish-speaking magistrate, and readjusting salaries to make them equitable.

SUSAN MARUCA

Age: 39.

Home: 3499 Olde Winter Trail, Poland.

Education: A law degree in 1994 from Duquesne University School of Law; a bachelor’s degree in 1991 from the University of Pittsburgh; a 1987 graduate of Villa Maria High School.

Employment: Senior partner and chief operating officer for Betras, Maruca, Kopp & Harshman law firm.

Family: Two children.

Priority: To serve people with the highest degree of care, to continue to further the objectives of the court despite limited dollars, and to make the operations of the court fully accessible and transparent. Also, conduct an audit of the budget and make the court more user-friendly. She will hold town hall meetings to facilitate a platform for the county to assess the probate court.

, communicate concerns and voice thoughts.