Mary DeGenaro

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

2018  Justice, Ohio Supreme Court

2001-2018  Judge, 7th District Court of Appeals-Elected 2000, re-elected 2006, 2012.

In 2000 was first Republican elected to the 7th District in 24 years, and was the only Republican on the court from 2001-2015.

Presiding Judge for the 2007-2008 and 2013-14 terms.

Selected to sit by assignment on 10 cases with the Ohio Supreme Court, and on 6 of the 12 Appellate Districts in Ohio: the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th, and 11th.

Heard over 4,000 appeals and wrote over 1,100 majority and minority opinions; approximately 130 were selected for publication.

2005-2018  Appellate Practice Specialty Certification Board - Founding Member

Prepared application to Ohio Supreme Court and successfully obtained approval for the certification; drafted certification requirements, process, and examination; reviewed annual exam application and results for admission.

2003-04 Member Voter Education/Public Funding Working Group

Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer's initiative, "Judicial Impartiality: The Next Step Forum" to address multiple issues involving judicial races.

2001-2018 Ohio Appellate Judges Association; Secretary (2017-18)

2001-2018 Ohio Judicial Conference Executive Committee (2013-2018)

Judicial Ethics and Professionalism Committee (2001-2018); Co-chair (2013-2018)

Appellate Practice and Procedure Committee (created 2013-2018)

Specialized Dockets Committee (2017-2018)

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Question 2

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

Before serving on the 7th District, I was counsel on 25 appeals before the 7th and 11th Appellate Districts, and and two cases before the Ohio Supreme Court, a significant number for a non-government lawyer. 

In my current role as Chief Legal Counsel for Ohio Auditor Keith Faber, I am a member of the Executive Staff, which assists the Auditor as he manages an 800+ employee statewide agency.  I am also responsible for supervising a legal department of 8 attorneys plus staff, which in addition to providing legal advice across the state during the course of the thousands of audits conducted every year, the attorneys also serve as in-house counsel to address other legal issues of the office, such as providing responses to public records requests, contract review and negotiation, provide legal review of publications of the office, etc.   

In addition to my leadership roles, I specifically provide legal advice regarding ethics, HR issues, overseeing litigation involving the office or where AOS staff is called to testify, and review and assist drafting legislation proposed by the office or that may impact the office’s work.  This requires review of interrelated state and federal statutory and administrative regulation interpretation, as well as constitutional provisions.

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Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I want to return to the 7th District because this is a critical time of transition for the Court.  Between the 2022 and 2026 election cycles, there will be a complete turnover of judges and decades of experience lost.  That is why my almost 18 years of appellate judicial experience is needed; to lead the next generation of judges on the 7th District. If I am elected, I will be able to serve two terms on the Court, I would then be leaving the court in seasoned hands.

I also want to return in order to build on some of the programs and innovations I had a hand in creating.  A particular goal is to use the technology the court put in place during the pandemic to expand the Court’s back to school program.  In addition to continuing to have hearings at high schools throughout the district to facilitate civics education, we can offer more schools the opportunity to see court hearings by streaming them to the schools, again, to enhance students’ civic education.