Robb’s experience, qualifications ideal for appeals court judgeship

In evaluating the Nov. 4 race for the 7th District Court of Appeals judgeship being vacated by Joseph J. Vukovich III, voters must decide if serving on the bench gives one candidate an advantage over the other.

We believe it does, which is why we endorse Republican Judge Carol Robb of the Columbiana County Municipal Court over Democratic Atty. Anthony Donofrio, deputy law director for the city of Youngstown.

Voters will hear Donofrio say that comparing municipal court judicial experience to appellate court qualifications is “an apples and oranges comparison.”

With his brother, Gene, currently on the 7th District Court of Appeals, and his father, Joseph, retired from the court, Donofrio told The Vindicator Editorial Board that it was always his goal to serve in that court.

And yet, he applied for appointment by Republican Gov. John Kasich to the Youngstown Municipal Court seat that was vacant with the retirement of Judge Robert A. Douglas Jr. Indeed, Donofrio sought the support of top Republicans in the region, including Columbiana County GOP Chairman David Johnson.

The seat ultimately was eliminated, thus making a gubernatorial appointment unnecessary.

But, is there any doubt that had Donofrio become a municipal court judge he would now be using that experience to bolster his credentials for the court of appeals?

His dismissive attitude toward Judge Robb’s experience on the bench is disingenuous at best.

The Democratic candidate also argues that none of the four appeals court judges — Donofrio, Vukovich, Cheryl Waite and Mary DeGenaro — has prior judicial experience.

Just because the statutory qualifications for serving as a judge in Ohio are the bare minimum — six years as a lawyer — doesn’t mean voters should settle for anything less than the best and brightest.

ROBB IS WELL PREPARED

We believe that Judge Robb’s legal experience, business experience and life experience have well prepared her to serve in a court that sits in judgment of the trial courts. It issues written decisions on appeals that are filed alleging legal and procedural errors in the lower courts.

The appeals court is generally referred to as a writing court, which Robb and Donofrio both contend would not be a problem for them. They have both prepared briefs for the court of appeals, but Robb has actually argued before the appeals judges; Donofrio has not.

In addition to serving on the Columbiana County Municipal Court, the Republican nominee has been a magistrate in the county Common Pleas Court.

She also has private-practice law experience.

Prior to joining the city of Youngstown’s Law Department, Donofrio worked for 61/2 years at the B.J. Alan Fireworks Co., where he practiced corporate law and served as the company’s human resources director. Before that, he was an assistant prosecutor in the Mahoning County prosecutor’s office.

It’s clear that both candidates surpass the statutory requirements for being on the bench and have a broad range of legal experience.

Thus, voters must look for the one thing that separates the two contenders.

It is our belief that Judge Robb’s tenure on the county municipal court and her stint as a magistrate in the common pleas court give her a definite edge in the Nov. 4 election for the seat being vacated by Judge Vukovich.

There’s another reason we believe voters should select her: The 7th District encompasses Mahoning, Columbiana, Belmont, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, Monroe and Noble counties, but all four judges live in Mahoning County.

Having an appeals court judge from Columbiana County would not be a bad thing.

An objective evaluation of each candidate’s qualifications and judicial experience leads us to the conclusion that Judge Robb has earned promotion to the 7th District Court of Appeals.

The Vindicator strongly supports Robb’s candidacy for the term that begins Feb. 9.

Judge Waite, who is seeking a fourth six-year term that begins Feb. 10, is unopposed in the general election.