Candidate Details
- Residence
Kent - Email
info@judgemarkfankhauser.com - Website
http:// www.judgemarkfankhauser.com - Age
51 - Occupation
Judge - Education
Ravenna High School Class of 1988; B.A. Kent State University, 1992; J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law 1998 - Work Experience
Criminal Defense Attorney and General Practice of Law 1998-2009; Portage County Municipal Court Judge from 1-2-10 to present - Family
Married 23 years to Jill with three children, Molly, Jake and Noah - Affiliations
Member of the Kent United Methodist Church, board member of Access to Independence, Portage County Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, volunteer and donor to many charitable organizations - Bar Association Ratings
Highly Recommended by the Portage County Bar Association 2021
Question 1
List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I have been a Municipal Court Judge for 12 years. As a Judge, I have handled over 165,000 cases. I am the Presiding Judge of the R.I.S.E. drug court. In the R.I.S.E. Drug Court, the Court and treatment team provide many services to participants including but not limited to providing stable housing and transportation, mental health services, and drug and alcohol treatment. Eligible participants in the R.I.S.E. Drug Court Program include veterans, victims of human trafficking, persons with substance abuse disorders and folks with mental health issues. For 12 years I have been committed to administering justice in a fair, impartial and efficient manner.
Question 2
What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
Judges in the Portage County Municipal Court have a busy criminal docket. Prior to becoming a judge, I practiced law privately for 12 years. I handled over 2300 cases in the Portage County Courts and hundreds of cases throughout Northeast Ohio. A majority of these cases were criminal cases. It is important for a municipal court judge to have a great deal of experience in criminal law to fairly and efficiently administer justice. I believe experience matters.
Question 3
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have served as a Municipal Court Judge since 2010. I seek re-election because I believe that all victims, defendants, and all people appearing in Court deserve a judge who is fair, impartial, efficient and treats others with courtesy and respect. The people who appear in court are entitled to a judge that knows the law, follows the law and upholds the law. They deserve a judge who makes decisions based on sound, legal reasoning and common sense. They deserve a judge who makes sure justice is done. I have been doing this for 12 years, and I would like to continue to do so.