Terry J. Rugg

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

I have not served on the bench in the past.

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Question 2

What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

I have been practicing as an attorney for over 16 years, most of which has been as a litigator.  I have represented more clients than I can remember in adversarial cases and worked hard to get the best results for them.  I have tried many cases, both in jury trials and bench trials.  My experience in trying cases has allowed me and forced me to become very familiar with the Ohio rules of civil and criminal procedure as well as the Ohio rules of evidence.  In my opinion, there is no comparison in learning these rules while in law school, as opposed to applying them in a courtroom setting during an adversarial hearing.  Being able to be sharp enough to know when to object and being clear and concise in stating the reason for the objection is instrumental as a litigator.  As a judge on the bench, it is just as instrumental to have this mastery of the rules so that objections can be heard, understood and then ultimately sustained or overruled in a timely manner to keep the pace of the trial up and to ensure jurors are not prejudiced by hearing something they should not have heard.  As a practicing attorney that litigates, I also understand the importance of creating a solid record for a case.  Without a proper record, situations could arise where someone is effectively denied appeals.  Poor records do not properly reflect what happened in the case at the trial level.  In my opinion, this would be a complete miscarriage of justice and something I would work hard to avoid.   

As a practicing attorney that has represented numerous clients in a wide array of courts and with a wide array of issues, I have the ability to connect with people and the ability to listen and get to the bottom of issues.  These skills allow me to get to the core of issues and will help me be in the best position to craft resolutions for cases in a manner that is appropriate under the law.  Thus, leading to a resolution in a manner which the core issues are addressed and reconciled, therefore limiting the need for future court intervention.

 

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Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I am seeking this seat on the bench because I know I have the required skills, knowledge and experience to be the next Perry County Municipal Court Judge.   I have represented many clients in the Perry County Municipal Court and in the courts of all surrounding counties. I still actively represent clients in court to this day.  This experience gives me great insight into how the Perry County Municipal Court operates.  My courtroom experience also makes apparent the efficiencies and areas of improvement in terms of sentencing those that have been convicted of a crime.  I do have ideas that can enhance time and fiscal efficiencies when I’m on the bench.  The opportunity to be exposed to other jurisdictions and other judges has given me the ability to learn and study how each judge conducts their respective courtroom.  I believe I will be able to craft my own unique style of handling cases and situations in the courtroom based upon those hands-on experiences.  I have helped many residents within this county with legal issues and have been in this court many times.  I truly believe I can have a greater positive impact on this county and the residents from the bench than I have as an attorney representing clients.  I have always been a strong supporter of our county and being on the bench would allow me to continue to work to support and improve our county.