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Judge R. Scott Krichbaum opts to seek re-election to the Mahoning County Common Pleas bench
By joe gorman
and David Skolnick
youngstown
Judge R. Scott R. Scott Krichbaum of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court will seek his fifth six-year term on the bench next year.
Judge Krichbaum filed petitions with the board of elections Wednesday to run in the Republican primary in May to retain his seat.
Judge Krichbaum had considered filing for an open seat on the 7th District Court of Appeals, currently held by Judge Joseph J. Vukovich, who is retiring and won’t seek re-election next year.
“I had to really think about it, but the work I do on the common pleas court is as important as it gets,” Judge Krichbaum said.
Judges at the common pleas level are often hearing cases and other legal matters while the appeals court is more of a review court, he said.
“I’m a front-line type of guy,” Judge Krichbaum said.
Being a common pleas judge is challenging because the state Legislature constantly is updating or tweaking laws, Judge Krichbaum said.
“The laws change every day, and it is a great challenge to stay current with the law,” Judge Krichbaum said. “I believe my record shows I’m well-suited to this job.”
Judge Krichbaum said he tries to follow the example of former Judge Clyde Osborne, whom he had once worked for and who he has said on several occasions was his mentor.
“I appreciate the opportunity to run for this job again and will certainly promise I will continue to provide prompt, efficient and a fair administration of justice,” Judge Krichbaum said.
Though Judge Krichbaum isn’t seeking the seat on the appellate court, Judge Carol Robb of Columbiana County Municipal Court, also a Republican, said Wednesday she is a candidate for the position.
Judge Robb, the first declared candidate for the appeals-court seat, first was elected to her judicial post in 2005. She was re-elected last month in an unopposed race.
Before being elected, Judge Robb spent four years as a magistrate for Columbiana County Common Pleas Court and practiced law for 18 years in Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
On the Democratic side, potential appellate court candidates include Mahoning County Prosecutor Paul J. Gains, Youngstown Deputy Law Director Anthony Donofrio, former Mahoning County Commissioner David Engler, and Mark Hanni, who lost the 2012 general election for a seat on the 7th to Judge Mary DeGenaro.
Feb. 5 is the filing deadline to run in the May primary.
The district includes Mahoning, Columbiana, Belmont, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe and Noble counties. Mahoning is the most-populous county in the district, and all four judges are from there.