Stacy Lefton

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

Not Applicable.

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Question 2

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

I started my legal career in Hamilton County working for Judge Crush as his law clerk.  In that role I managed his civil docket and helped with the criminal docket.  I had the opportunity to work on motions and help do research for the Judge.  Having worked for a judge and watching how he treated people, and seeing how attorneys interacted with each other and the court and court staff, I have a good grasp on how things should be handled in a court.  I learned from watching my Judge, that it is best to be prepared when parties come before you and know exactly what is going on in the case and most importantly to listen to what the parties have to say.  This is important so you can see things from both sides and look at the law and make a decision.  Probably the most important thing I learned in this role was how to treat people in court.  Whether you are an attorney, a victim, a defendant, a litigant in a civil case or an employee working in court, you deserve to be treated with respect.  

After the Judge retired I worked for Magistrate Richard Bernat briefly before moving over to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office. At the prosecutor's office I have worked in the Juvenile, Municipal, and Felony Common Pleas divisions of the office.  In those divisions I have had the opportunity to try tons of cases from something as simple as a traffic ticket to something as serious as aggravated murder.  I am in court everyday fighting for victims of crime and trying to make sure our community is safe.  

 

 

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Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

My experience working in the court room as an attorney and as a law clerk, gives me a more well rounded perspective to serve as a judge.  I know what it is like to both fight for the side I am representing and be a neutral party in a court action.  As a prosecutor, I have had the opportunity to try numerous cases and I have seen first hand how the results of those cases affect our victims.  When I got sworn in to practice law in Ohio, I took and an oath to support the Constitution and the laws of the United States and the State of Ohio and I take that very seriously.  I will follow the law as it is written and not promote any personal or social agenda.  Justice is supposed to be blind and people are supposed to be treated fairly and equally.  With my experience and training I can assure you that that will happen.