Teresa L. Ballinger
Marion Municipal Court
Full Term Commencing Jan. 1, 2024
*Top Vote-Getter in General Election
Candidate Details
- Residence
Marion - Email
tlblaw@yahoo.com - Social Media
- Age
66 - Occupation
Judge, Marion Municipal Court - Education
BA in Social Work/Psychology Ohio Dominican University
Law Degree Capital University Law School
- Work Experience
Social Worker 1979-1983
Teacher 1984-1995
Attorney 1994-2004
Judge 2004-Present
- Family
Married with 2 sons and 3 step-children - Affiliations
Former Preseident of Association of Municipal and County Judges of Ohio
Member of the Commission on Specialized Dockets
Co-Chair of Attorney General's Task Force on Mental Health and Criminal Justice
Co-Founder of Marion Matters Inc.
Teresa L. Ballinger
Question 1
List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Marion Municipal Court Judge 2004-Present
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersMarion Municipal Court Judge 2004 to present
Question 2
What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
Social Worker from 1979 to 1983
Teacher from 1984 to 1995
Attorney from 1994 to 2004
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersSocial Worker from 1979 to 1983
Teacher from 1984 to 1995
Attorney from 1994 to 2004
Question 3
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have been the Marion Municipal Court Judge for 19 years. As the judge presiding over the 2nd busiest single-judge municipal court in Ohio, I run an efficient and effective clerks' office, probation department and court. This court is one of the most inovative courts in Ohio. The various programs in our probation department show tremendous reductions of recidivism (the elimination of repeat offenders). The Veterans' Treatment Court and its bountiful team of treatment providers, case managers, housing officers, probation officers, mentors and Judge work with the veteran participants through their recovery at success rates of 84% reduction of repeat offenders. The Drug Court and the Mental Health Dockets have success rates of 90% and 80% respectively.
Also, the Supreme Court often chooses me to mentor new judges and chooses my drug court team to guide newly-forming drug courts through the application and certification process. Over the years, I have created a community service program for probationers to work with the City of Marion on "clean up" days, a victim assistant program, a driver's license re-validation program, a domestic violence offender "Batterer's Intervention Program" and 3 speicalized dockets that are respected throughout the state of Ohio and across the nation.
As community leader and the senior judge in Marion County Ohio, I believe it is my responsibility to continue to work hard to change and improve the statistics in the criminal justice system. During my next term as Judge, I plan to do that.
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersI have been the Marion Municipal Court Judge for 19 years. As the judge presiding over the 2nd busiest single-judge municipal court in Ohio, I run an efficient and effective clerks' office, probation department and court. This court is one of the most inovative courts in Ohio. The various programs in our probation department show tremendous reductions of recidivism (the elimination of repeat offenders). The Veterans' Treatment Court and its bountiful team of treatment providers, case managers, housing officers, probation officers, mentors and Judge work with the veteran participants through their recovery at success rates of 84% reduction of repeat offenders. The Drug Court and the Mental Health Dockets have success rates of 90% and 80%, respectively.
Also, the Supreme Court often chooses me to mentor new judges and chooses my drug court team to guide newly-forming drug courts through the application and certification process. Over the years, I have created a community service program for probationers to work with the City of Marion on "clean up" days, a victim assistant program, a driver's license re-validation program, a domestic violence offender "Batterer's Intervention Program" and 3 speicalized dockets that are respected throughout the state of Ohio and across the nation.
As community leader and the senior judge in Marion County Ohio, I believe it is my responsibility to continue to work hard to change and improve the statistics in the criminal justice system. During my next term as Judge, I plan to do that.