Rhonda L. Best
Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court
Unexpired Term Ending Dec. 31, 2025
*Top Vote-Getter in General Election
Candidate Details
- Residence
Tiffin - Email
KeepJudgeBest@gmail.com - Social Media
facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090537367651
instagram.com/keepjudgebest?igshid=ZDdkNTZiNTM= - Age
45 - Occupation
Judge, Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court - Education
JD, The University of Toledo College of Law, December 2005
BA - English, Heidelberg University, 2002
AA - English, Terra State Community College, 2000
Tiffin Calvert High School, Valedictorian, 1996
- Work Experience
Judge, Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court, December 2022 - present
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Seneca County, July-November 2022, August 2006-January 2018
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Crawford County, January 2018-July 2022
Village Solicitor for the Villages of Bloomville, Chatfield, and Nevada, 2019-2022
Court Investigator and Staff Attorney, Seneca County Probate Court, 2006
Adjunct Professor in Criminology, Heidelberg University, 2013-2018
- Family
I am the single mother of two young men who are now college graduates but were only 3 and 5 when I entered law school. - Affiliations
Member and Lector, St. Mary Catholic Church, Tiffin, Ohio
Former Board Member, First Step Domestic Violence Shelter, Fostoria, Ohio
Former Board Member, CROSSWAEH CBCF, Tiffin, Ohio
Founding Member of Seneca-Wyandot-Crawford Women's Bar Association, 2022-present
Member and former President, Seneca County Bar Association
Former Vice-President, Crawford County Bar Association
Flag Corps Advisor, Calvert Catholic Schools, 2003-2017
Rhonda L. Best
Question 1
List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Judge, Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court, December 5, 2022 - present
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersJudge, Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court, December 5, 2022 - present
Question 2
What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
My non-judicial experience was mainly as a prosecutor, including municipal court prosecution for 5 years and felony prosecution for 7 years. As a prosecutor, I was also assigned to juvenile court for 5 years and the civil docket for 5 years. I was also Village Solicitor for 3 villages in 3 counties, assisting with various legal matters that sometimes involved Municipal Court issues. I appeared in front of many different judges in these roles, as well as judges in other counties as a special prosecutor. After working in these courts for years, I have learned what qualities make an effective judge and those qualities that do not. These positions have helped me develop the necessary qualities of being fair and impartial, yet tough when called for in certain cases. Years of working one on one with defense counsel, defendants, law enforcement, public officials, and victims have resulted in my ability to be calm, respectful, and even-handed as Judge. I fully understand every aspect of our Municipal Court and have a positive working relationship with the parties and witnesses that appear in this Court that will allow better service to our constituents.
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersMy non-judicial experience was mainly as a prosecutor, including municipal court prosecution for 5 years and felony prosecution for 7 years. As a prosecutor, I was also assigned to juvenile court for 5 years and the civil docket for 5 years. I was also Village Solicitor for 3 villages in 3 counties, assisting with various legal matters that sometimes involved Municipal Court issues. I appeared in front of many different judges in these roles, as well as judges in other counties as a special prosecutor. After working in these courts for years, I have learned what qualities make an effective judge and those qualities that do not. These positions have helped me develop the necessary qualities of being fair and impartial, yet tough when called for in certain cases. Years of working one on one with defense counsel, defendants, law enforcement, public officials, and victims have resulted in my ability to be calm, respectful, and even-handed as Judge. I fully understand every aspect of our Municipal Court and have a positive working relationship with the parties and witnesses that appear in this Court that will allow better service to our constituents.
Question 3
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
This is my community. I was born and raised on the north end of Tiffin by Richard and Theresa (Keefe) Best. My dad is originally from Fostoria, and my mom is originally from Tiffin, so my roots are throughout this Court's jurisdiction. I bring a unique perspective and background needed in this community. I raised 2 children on my own, while working and putting myself through law school. Municipal Court is perfectly situated to allow positive intervention in people's lives. We can help people through the various needs we see in this Court, including substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and licensing issues. We can connect people with services, including opportunities for better employment and education. My plan, already in motion since being appointed to the vacancy in Municipal Court, is to provide these expanded services to our community to achieve the goal of improving the daily lives of our citizens so they are not simply numbers being processed through the Court over and over.
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersThis is my community. I was born and raised on the north end of Tiffin by Richard and Theresa (Keefe) Best. My dad is originally from Fostoria, and my mom is originally from Tiffin, so my roots are throughout this Court's jurisdiction. I bring a unique perspective and background needed in this community. I raised 2 children on my own, while working and putting myself through law school. Municipal Court is perfectly situated to allow positive intervention in people's lives. We can help people through the various needs we see in this Court, including substance abuse, mental health, domestic violence, and licensing issues. We can connect people with services, including opportunities for better employment and education. My plan, already in motion since being appointed to the vacancy in Municipal Court, is to provide these expanded services to our community to achieve the goal of improving the daily lives of our citizens so they are not simply numbers being processed through the Court over and over.