Susan Baker Ross
Summit County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Full Term Commencing May 17, 2025
Candidate Details
- Residence
Akron - Email
judgesusanbakerross@gmail.com - Social Media
facebook.com/JudgeSusanBakerRoss
linkedin.com/in/susan-baker-ross-8521bb22 - Age
58 - Occupation
Judge - Education
Judge Susan Baker Ross earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Management from the University of Akron, and her Juris Doctorate Degree from the University of Akron School of Law, and was admitted to the practice of law in the State of Ohio in November, 1991.
- Work Experience
She currently brings 35 years of knowledge and experience to the bench, which includes:
Legal Intern with the City of Akron Law Department from 1989-1992.
Assistant Prosecutor in the Civil Division of the Portage County Prosecutor’s Office from 1992-1997 and the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office from 2001-2010.
Judicial Attorney/Magistrate and then Traffic Court Magistrate for the Akron Municipal Court from 2012-2019.
Private law practice on and off throughout the years focusing on criminal defense, wills and guardianships, contracts, and domestic relations.
Judge for the Summit County Common Pleas Court since May, 2019.
Judge Baker Ross was also selected to serve as Presiding Judge over the Summit County Valor Court in August, 2022.
Judge Baker Ross has also served as Presiding Judge of the Common Pleas Court since February, 2023, and in that role oversees the Jury and Grand Jury proceedings for the Court.
- Family
Married. Two adult children. - Affiliations
Judge Baker Ross attends Compass North Church in Akron.
She currently serves on the Ohio Judicial Conference Judicial Advisory Group, Criminal Law and Procedure and Civil Law and Procedure committees. Additionally, she is a member of the Lawyer’s Assistance Committee of the Akron Bar Association, Leadership Akron Signature Class 35, ATHENA International, the League of Women Voters, and she is a lifetime member of the NAACP, and she serves on the Board of Hope United, Tyler's Redemption Place. Judge Baker Ross also provides the required Substance Abuse Education to the University of Akron Law School students twice a year.
Other honors she has received include: Freedom House for Women 2022 Leadership Award, Limitless Ambition 2020 Ladies of Legacy award, Outstanding Committee Chair Award 2019-2020 from the Akron Bar Association for her dedication as Co-Chair of the Lawyers Assistance Committee for over ten years, 2019 Celebration of Life Awardee with the Final Farewell Project, and 2019 Ohio Association of Magistrates Award.
She has previously served as a member of the Alcohol Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board, Summit County Collaborative Against Human Trafficking, and the Women’s Network Board. On a community level, she served the Girl Scouts as a Leader for 10 years, as District Coordinator, as District Cookie Chair and as a Cookie Cupboard for the Mogadore community. Additionally, she was a devoted volunteer in the Mogadore community as a board member on the Youth Football, Athletic Boosters and Band Boosters, and the Village of Mogadore as Councilwoman, and member of the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals.
- Endorsements
Emilia Sykes, US House of Representatives
Veronica Sims, Ohio House of Representatives, House District 33
Casey Weinstein, Ohio House of Representatives, House District 34
Ilene Shapiro, Summit County Executive
Alan Brubaker, Summit County Engineer
Kristen Scalise, Summit County Fiscal Officer
Tavia Galonski, Summit County Clerk of Courts
Elizabeth Walters, Summit County Council At Large
Mayor Shammas Malik, City of Akron
Mayor William B. Judge, City of Barberton
Mayor Don Walters, City of Cuyahoga Falls
Linda Omobien, Akron City Council At Large
Tara L. Mosley Weems, Former city of Akron Ward 5 Councilwoman
Laborers Local 894
Tri-County Regional Labor Council
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 219
IBEW Local 306
CWA Local 4302
Tri-County Building Trades
- Bar Association Ratings
Excellent
Susan Baker Ross
Question 1
List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I have served as Judge for the Summit County Common Pleas Court since May, 2019. I previously served as both a Judicial Attorney/Magistrate and then Traffic Court Magistrate for the Akron Municipal Court from 2012-2019. In these positions I have presided over thousands of civil, criminal and traffic cases.
In addition to my normal judicial reponsibilities, I was selected to serve as Presiding Judge over the Summit County Valor Court in August, 2022. Valor Court recognizes that many of our veterans return to civilian life with serious trauma, both physical and mental, which may lead to their involvement with the criminal justice system. In Valor court, veterans are given access to programs, treatment and interaction with mentors in a collaborative initiative to enhance chances of success.
Additionally, I serve as Presiding Judge of the Common Pleas Court and have done so since February, 2023. In that role I oversees the Jury and Grand Jury proceedings for the Court. Since then I have implemented expanding jury service beyond registered voters to also include those with Driver’s Licenses and State ID’s. I also oversees efforts to improve the jury experience for those selected to serve and to ensure that Jurors are provided with resources to assist them should they have secondary trauma as a result of their service.
In all that I do, I treat all participants in my court with respect and protect the rights of all involved.
Abbreviated Candidate Answers
I have served as Judge for the Summit County Common Pleas Court since May, 2019. I previously served as both a Judicial Attorney/Magistrate and then Traffic Court Magistrate for the Akron Municipal Court from 2012-2019. In these positions I have presided over thousands of civil, criminal and traffic cases.
In addition to my normal judicial reponsibilities, I was selected to serve as Presiding Judge over the Summit County Valor Court in August, 2022. Valor Court recognizes that many of our veterans return to civilian life with serious trauma, both physical and mental, which may lead to their involvement with the criminal justice system. In Valor court, veterans are given access to programs, treatment and interaction with mentors in a collaborative initiative to enhance chances of success.
Additionally, I serve as Presiding Judge of the Common Pleas Court and have done so since February, 2023. In that role I oversees the Jury and Grand Jury proceedings for the Court. Since then I have implemented expanding jury service beyond registered voters to also include those with Driver’s Licenses and State ID’s. I also oversees efforts to improve the jury experience for those selected to serve and to ensure that Jurors are provided with resources to assist them should they have secondary trauma as a result of their service.
In all that I do, I treat all participants in my court with respect and protect the rights of all involved.
Question 2
What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
As an Assistant Prosecutor in the Civil Division of the Portage County Prosecutor’s Office from 1992-1997 and the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office from 2001-2010, I handled a large variety of civil legal issues that I now address as a judge.
In my private law practice on and off throughout the years I focused on criminal defense, wills and guardianships, contracts, and domestic relations.
Throughout the years I have developed a good work ethic and strong writing and interpersonal skills. As a result I am able to manage difficult cases and difficult litigants in a respectful manner.
Abbreviated Candidate Answers
As an Assistant Prosecutor in the Civil Division of the Portage County Prosecutor’s Office from 1992-1997 and the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office from 2001-2010, I handled a large variety of civil legal issues that I now address as a judge.
In my private law practice on and off throughout the years I focused on criminal defense, wills and guardianships, contracts, and domestic relations.
Throughout the years I have developed a good work ethic and strong writing and interpersonal skills. As a result I am able to manage difficult cases and difficult litigants in a respectful manner.
Question 3
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I love my job serving Summit County as a Common Pleas Court Judge. I will continue the work of helping those who have entered the system due to addiction and mental illness while also protecting the rights of the victims in the court system. I give each case thoughtful consideration and seek to help all of the parties to our court cases if possible.
I am very effective in our Veterans Valor Court and wish to continue to help our Veterans find their way out of the court system for good.
I bring honesty, common sense and integrity to the bench. I will also bring my experience, strength and hope to the bench that comes from long term recovery and almost 35 years of sobriety.
I am asking the voters to re-elect me and let me continue to do the job for which they elected me in November, 2018. Thank you for your consideration!
Abbreviated Candidate AnswersI love my job serving Summit County as a Common Pleas Court Judge. I will continue the work of helping those who have entered the system due to addiction and mental illness while also protecting the rights of the victims in the court system. I give each case thoughtful consideration and seek to help all of the parties to our court cases if possible.
I am very effective in our Veterans Valor Court and wish to continue to help our Veterans find their way out of the court system for good.
I bring honesty, common sense and integrity to the bench. I will also bring my experience, strength and hope to the bench that comes from long term recovery and almost 35 years of sobriety.
I am asking the voters to re-elect me and let me continue to do the job for which they elected me in November, 2018. Thank you for your consideration!