Richard A Bell
For Judge of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division
Full Term Beginning 1/3/2023
*Top Vote-Getter in General Election
Candidate Details
- Residence
Solon - Email
JudgeRichardBell@gmail.com - Website
richardbell4judge.com - Social Media
facebook.com/RichardBell4Judge - Age
59 - Occupation
Judge, Cuyahoga Common Pleas Court - Education
Benedictine High School 1981
Kent State University 1985
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law 1989
- Work Experience
Law Clerk Federal Public Defender 1987-1989
Law Clerk Robert A. Dixon 1988-1989
Staff Attorney for Common Pleas Court Judges Jan. 1990
Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor (Tried over 100 cases) 1990 - December 2020
- Special Investigations Division Chief (Chief Prosecutor over Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; Cold Case Murder Unit; Sexual Assault Kit Task Force-which used DNA testing to solve over 850 victim's cold cases identifying over 100 serial rapists; Human Trafficking Unit, Economic Crime Unit) 2011-2020
- Community Justice Chief (Re-organized Office employees into Community Based Regions, Instituted a Case Management system and provided Open File Discovery to all attorneys, Implemented Video-Conferencing of witnesses in Grand Jury. 2008-2011
- Supervisor Major Trial Unit (Supervised prosecution of all murder and rape cases in the County; Created the first in the nation Cold Case Unit in a prosecutor's office solving 25 cold murder cases using DNA. Nominated in 2005 for Prosecutor of the year for the State of Ohio by County Prosecutor Mason 2001-2008
- Supervisor General Felony Unit 2000-2001
- Major Trial Unit Prosecutor (Homicides and Sexual Assaults) 1998-2000
- General Felony Unit 1995-1998
- Child Victim Abuse Unit Nominated in 1996 for Prosecutor of the year for the State of Ohio by County Prosecutor Stephanie Tubbs-Jones 1992-1995
- Juvenile Court and Child Support 1990-1992
City of Solon Council 2010-December 2015
- Family
Married with 4 children - Affiliations
Current William K Thomas Inns of Court member
Current Choir member St. Rita's Church
Current Common Pleas Court Justice Center Working Group Committee, Civil Rules Committee, Probation Committee, Diversity Committee, Technology Committee and Nancy McDonnell Community Based Correctional Facility Committee
Former Cuyahoga Metropolitan Bar Association -President, Vice President, Secretary of the Government Attorney's Section
Former member Collaborative to End Human Trafficking
Former member Sexual Assault Response Team (S,A.R.T.)
Former member Cuyahoga County Defense Lawyers Association
Testified in Washington DC in front of Bi-Partisan Congressional Committee to End Sexual Assault Against Women
Testified in front of Ohio Congressional Committee to extend the Statute of Limitations for Sexual Assaults
Testified in front of Washington State Congressional Committee to test all sexual assault kits
Former Parish Counsel St. Rita Church
Monthly contributor St. Jude's Cancer, Compassion International, World Child Fund
- Endorsements
Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland.com
Cleveland Fire Fighters IAFF Local 93
Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council
AFL-CIO Northshore Federation
UAW- United Auto Workers Region 2B
AFSCME
Laborers 310
Plumber's Union Local 55
Pipefitters Local 120
C.A.M.E.O.
ATU - Amalgamated Transit Union Local 268
BCTGM (Bakery Confectionery)
Black Women’s Political Action Committee
International Brotherhood Boilermakers Iron Ship Builders Blacksmiths Forgers & Helpers
Local Cleveland 744
- Bar Association Ratings
2022 --Judge4Yourself.com ratings :
EXCELLENT - Ohio Women's Bar Association
EXCELLENT - Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
EXCELLENT - Norman S. Minor Bar Association
EXCELLENT - Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association
GOOD - Cuyahoga County Defense Lawyer's Association
EXCELLENT - Asian American Bar Association
Richard A Bell
Question 1
List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Elected 2020 Judge Common Pleas Court
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersElected 2020 Judge Common Pleas Court
Question 2
What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I have been a trial lawyer for my entire career. I have tried over 100 cases myself and trained and supervised hundreds of young lawyers who have gone on to become successful attorneys. I was trained as a defense attorney and served the residents of Cuyahoga County by helping victims receive justice through the court system. For 20 years I was Chief over the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force responsible for apprehending over 1,000 sexual predators. The last initiative I led was to have all of the old rapekits that were on the shelves of police property rooms tested for DNA. Over 850 victim cases were solved. Over the course of my career I was responsible for managing over 20 Million Federal Grant Dollars. I have supervised hundreds of lawyers, and staff including assistant prosecutors, investigators and victim advocates.
My focus has been to help others and to reform the system from within. Improving the court system has been a passion for me. Making sure people receive fair and equal justice is fundamental whether they are a victim, defendant, or civil litigants hoping their cases resolve. I worked to improve the bail system by advocating for a new risk assesment tool from the Arnold Foundation and implemented the Open File Discovery system so all lawyers have access to all documents and exhibits. I always worked hard whether I was representing my residents as a City Councilman or representing the citizens of Cuyahoga County.
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersI have been a trial lawyer for my entire career. I have tried over 100 cases myself and trained and supervised hundreds of young lawyers who have gone on to become successful attorneys. I was trained as a defense attorney and served the residents of Cuyahoga County by helping victims receive justice through the court system. For 20 years I was Chief over the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force responsible for apprehending over 1,000 sexual predators. The last initiative I led was to have all of the old rapekits that were on the shelves of police property rooms tested for DNA. Over 850 victim cases were solved. Over the course of my career I was responsible for managing over 20 Million Federal Grant Dollars. I have supervised hundreds of lawyers, and staff including assistant prosecutors, investigators and victim advocates.
My focus has been to help others and to reform the system from within. Improving the court system has been a passion for me. Making sure people receive fair and equal justice is fundamental whether they are a victim, defendant, or civil litigants hoping their cases resolve. I worked to improve the bail system by advocating for a new risk assesment tool from the Arnold Foundation and implemented the Open File Discovery system so all lawyers have access to all documents and exhibits. I always worked hard whether I was representing my residents as a City Councilman or representing the citizens of Cuyahoga County.
Question 3
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
In 2020 I was elected to this seat. During that election I promised to be accessible to the lawyers, manage the backlogged docket, keep a Sentencing Database for fair and proportionate sentences and become involved in a working group for possible changes to the Justice Center.
On every pretrial I stay in the courtroom to meet with the lawyers which has relieved the backlog from 612 to 396 cases. I have overseen 21 trials during this period and resolved many civil cases by meeting with attorneys personally at final pretrials and settlement conferences. I am one of only 2 pilot judges on the Cuyahoga Common Pleas bench that have since its inception provided feedback and suggestions to the developing Ohio Supreme Court's Sentencing Database. The hope is that this Database will one day be utilized by all Ohio Judges and provide a transparent review of sentencings. I have been very involved in the Justice Center Working Group Committee, Civil Rules Committee (which rewrote all the local rules), Diversity, Technology and Probation Committees. In the past I was integrally involved in the US Marshall Fugitive Safe Surrender Project which allows persons with arrest warrants to safely turn themselves in to court.
Each of these initiatives are important for the people that come before the court. I believe Judges not only need to keep our community safe but to improve the process for everyone. With your support I hope to continue to serve and see these initiatives through to completion.
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersIn 2020 I was elected to this seat. During that election I promised to be accessible to the lawyers, manage the backlogged docket, keep a Sentencing Database for fair and proportionate sentences and become involved in a working group for possible changes to the Justice Center.
On every pretrial I stay in the courtroom to meet with the lawyers which has relieved the backlog from 612 to 396 cases. I have overseen 21 trials during this period and resolved many civil cases by meeting with attorneys personally at final pretrials and settlement conferences. I am one of only 2 pilot judges on the Cuyahoga Common Pleas bench that have since its inception provided feedback and suggestions to the developing Ohio Supreme Court's Sentencing Database. The hope is that this Database will one day be utilized by all Ohio Judges and provide a transparent review of sentencings. I have been very involved in the Justice Center Working Group Committee, Civil Rules Committee (which rewrote all the local rules), Diversity, Technology and Probation Committees. In the past I was integrally involved in the US Marshall Fugitive Safe Surrender Project which allows persons with arrest warrants to safely turn themselves in to court.
Each of these initiatives are important for the people that come before the court. I believe Judges not only need to keep our community safe but to improve the process for everyone. With your support I hope to continue to serve and see these initiatives through to completion.