Judge Mary Jane Trapp has served on the Eleventh District Court of Appeals for 12 years.
Judge Mary Jane Trapp has served on the Eleventh District Court of Appeals for 12 years.
Now, she is aiming for a new role in her non-partisan campaign for the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas.
“Most of you who know me either as an attorney or as a judge know that being on the court of appeals for 12 years was the honor of my life,” Trapp said at a fundraiser July 28. “I miss the courtroom.”
Russell Township Fiscal Officer Karen Walder, wife of Geauga County Auditor Chuck Walder, hosted the fundraiser inside their garage, which had several antique vehicles on display.
Other hosts included Tiffany Antenucci, Connie Babcock, Don Bear, Becky Carroll, Luanne Dvorak, Laura Flaiz, Martha Hitchcock, Andy and Norma Hoffman, Harry and Sue Jacob, Kathy Leavenworth, Heather Luckey, Anita Madden, John Thomas and Joe Weiss.
Over 100 attendees mingled while admiring the vehicles and watching coverage of this year’s Olympic games.
In her remarks to the crowd, Karen touted Trapp’s experience, as well as the respect she’s commanded from the bench.
“I hoped I was not being naive in thinking that 100 people from different political views could come together and support this experienced and respected candidate in a non-partisan race,” she said. “Yet, here we are. Thank you for coming and for your support of Judge Trapp.”
Under a law the Ohio General Assembly passed in 2022, candidates for Ohio Supreme Court and the Ohio District Courts of Appeals must declare a party and run in a primary election.
Trapp said she is thankful that law did not extend to trial courts.
“I’m not a D, I’m not an R. There are no D laws, there are no R laws — there are laws,” she said. “I may not always agree with some of the laws that the General Assembly passes, but guess what? I took an oath and my record shows that I follow those laws and I give each litigant that comes into my courtroom a full and fair measure of justice.”
Trapp said some people have asked why she would move from the appeals court back to a county-level role, but a look around the room at all of the people supporting her race helped her realize why — because she has been asked to come back to her home county and do what she does best.
“And that is to be in a courtroom every day bringing my criminal law experience, my civil law experience, my domestic relations law experience — because it is a domestic relations court, as well — plus, as a court of appeals judge, having reviewed thousands of cases over 12 years from the trial bench, I know what trial judges are not supposed to do,” Trapp said. “So, I’m going to make sure I get it right.”
