3 Dems vy for Struthers Muni Court judgeship
STRUTHERS
Three Democrats are competing in the May 2 primary for a six-year term as judge of Struthers Municipal Court.
The winner will face Republican candidate Damian DeGenova in the November general election.
Incumbent Judge James R. Lanzo, 72, is retiring. He would not have been able to run for re-election due to Ohio’s age limits for judges.
The judge’s son, James E. Lanzo, 45, is one contender for the position. He faces Dominic Leone III, 39, the Struthers law director, and Jamie Dunn, 67, a visiting Struthers judge.
The younger Lanzo said he shares his father’s judicial philosophy, but would differ in his “style and demeanor” from the bench.
The court handles civil, criminal and traffic cases for Struthers, Poland, Lowellville, New Middletown and Springfield Township.
Both Lanzo and Leone favor implementing video arraignments for the sake of efficiency and convenience.
Leone, however, advocates resuming night-court sessions and streamlining the filing process for eviction cases. He believes the court should update its website and allow people, especially those facing license suspensions, to more easily access information.
Dunn, who could serve only one term due to his age, said he is uniquely qualified because of his “mature temperament” and the breadth of his experience.
He cites 30 years experience as an attorney in private practice, 13 years as a visiting Struthers judge and 35 years as a public high-school teacher.
Read more about the race in Saturday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.