Michael P Germano

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

Magistrate, Willoughby Municipal Court, 2015-2016

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Question 2

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

I have over thirty (30) years of legal practice in both civil and criminal law throughout  Ohio as a private attorney. I further served as a magistrate, prosecutor, law director and assistant law director. Practicing in the Willoughby Municipal Court from the beginning of my legal career, I experienced  efficient and professional administrations under four different judges. For the last 15 years, I had the opportunty to be the Willoughby Court prosecutor for the municipalities of Kirtland, Willoughby Hills and Timberlake.

The experience of being Law Director for Timberlake and Assistant Law Director for Willoughby, Willoughby Hills, Kirtland and Concord Township gave me an opportunity to acquire more knowledge and successfully apply relevant, pertinant law to resolve a wide variety of legal issues facing each municipality. I thrived in this enviroment and thoroughly enjoyed working with people.

Each position required excellant communication skills with clients, attorneys, judges, advocates and community leaders in order to address issues in an ever-changing enviroment.These essential judicial qualifications enable me to effectively administer justice and handle administrative issues at the Willoughby Municipal Court.    

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Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

Serious operational and employment issues have developed in the court over the past 5 1/2 years needing immediate attention. I intend to timely and quickly address those issues.

The practice of requiring police officers to unnecessarily appear in court must be restructured. We need to keep the officers in their respective communities  protecting their citizens. By doing this, we will reduce the significant overtime cost to the taxpayers of each community that is required to be paid when an officer goes to court. The officers further need to easily be able to contact the court during the day should they have questions or issues. Their current telephone access to the court is seriously limited.

Court employee turnover in 5 1/2 years has been unprecedented which strongly indicates a poorly run court operation. It is the Judge's responsibilty to provide effective leadership, training and open communication with the employees. Over 50 employees have quit, resigned or have been terminated, none of which are documented Covid-related. Courthouse staff includes magistrates, bailiffs, clerks, probation officers and security personnel. Valued employees raise the bar in a courthouse. Employee instructing and coaching will be provided for long-term, positive work enviroment based on trust, respect and integrity.   

In addition, the full work week must be utilized to meet the communities demand for justice. Criminal hearing must be conducted in a timely manner and be set for hearings in the afternoons and Friday if need be. Having confidence in the prosecutor, attorneys, probation officers and advocate recommendations, the Court will run more effectively. I can make the Court a better extension of the communities it serves.

Respecting time commitments of citizens, police officers, attorneys, litigants and all court visitors is paramount. A client should not have to pay their attorney two or three times to appear in court for an issue easily resolved in one appearance.