Judge Lanzo will run for re-election

Staff report

struthers

Judge James Lanzo of Struthers Municipal Court says he will run again.

Lanzo had no challenger in the May Democratic primary as of Monday. The deadline for filing candidate petitions is Feb. 2.

Lanzo is running for his fourth six-year term. He has been with the court since 1994.

The Struthers Municipal Court also handles cases from Poland, Poland Township, Lowellville, New Middletown and Springfield Township.

It handles between 4,000 and 5,000 cases a year — 4,700 last year, Lanzo said.

Since he has been judge, he said, he has modernized the court. He said he has improved security, upgraded the computer system and introduced video technology.

He created a probation department, he said.

“We’ve always run within our budget and give money back to the city,” he added. He has a part-time bailiff and two part-time clerks who don’t get health-care benefits from the city, he said.

Lanzo also said he began a community-service program in 2006. People who can’t pay fines can shovel snow or pick up litter in any of the communities that use the court, he said.

Lanzo said he would like to beef up security even more at the court and is looking for grant money to hire security at not only the entrance to the court but the entrance to the city building.

Lanzo has a private practice on Youngstown Poland Road in Youngstown.

He received a bachelor of science degree from Youngstown State University. He graduated from Akron University’s law school.

He is a part-time instructor in criminal justice at YSU.

He is a member of the American Judges Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the Mahoning County Bar Association, the Struthers Lions Club and the Struthers Grid Iron Club.

He is past president of the Struthers Rotary Club and the Struthers Business Association.

He has received the George Jennings Award for community service from the Lions Club.

He is a sponsor of little-league baseball, a youth bowling team and a boccie club at St. Anthony’s Club.