43
2 incumbents in 11th District appeals court file petitions
WARREN
Judge Cynthia Westcott Rice of the 11th District Court of Appeals is seeking re-election to her third six-year term but will have competition to retain her seat.
Judge Rice, first elected to the court in 2002, is the only Democrat to file for the seat. Judge Rice of Brookfield was an assistant U.S. attorney and first assistant criminal prosecutor with the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office before being elected to the court.
Geoffrey W. Weaver of Kirtland, who’s had a private practice for 20 years and is a former Lake County assistant prosecutor, filed as a Republican to challenge Judge Rice in the November general election.
“I take the role of appellate judge seriously, and I am fully committed to devoting the time and energy needed to carry out the responsibilities of the position,” Weaver said.
The filing deadline for the May 6 primary is Wednesday.
Also, Judge Timothy P. Cannon of Painesville has filed nominating petitions for the Democratic primary to seek re-election. Judge Cannon was appointed to the court in 2007 and was elected to his first full six-year term in 2008. Since January 2011, he’s been the court’s presiding and administrative judge.
The 11th District Court is based in Warren, but Lake is the most populous county in the district.
The district serves Trumbull, Lake, Geauga, Ashtabula and Portage counties.
There are five judges on the court, but only Judges Rice and Cannon are up for re-election this year.