Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the appointment of Republican attorney Chris Berhalter to the Belmont County Court of Common Pleas General and Domestic Relations Division serving the community of Belmont County.
Judge-designee Berhalter (pictured above), of Martins Ferry, has served as Belmont County Court Judge Northern Division since 2014. Before that, he began his law career in 1996 at Sommer, Librati, & Berhalter. He became a partner in the firm in 2000. Voters then elected him as Belmont County Prosecuting Attorney, where he served for 10 years.
Berhalter will take the seat formerly held by Judge Frank Fregiatom who retired in June. The judge-designee will assume office on September 1st. Berhalter will serve the remainder of the unfinished term and needs to run for election in November 2024 to retain the seat for a subsequent term.
Berhalter said he believes his appointment is a testament to the work he has been doing on the Northern Court.
“I am very honored and humbled to have been selected by Governor DeWine to continue to serve, and I do believe it’s a reflection on the work that we have been doing on Northern Court and what we’ve been able to accomplish and continue to accomplish,” Berhalter said.
The Ohio Star contacted Berhalter for additional comment but did not receive a reply before press time.
He is a two-time graduate of the Ohio State University where he received a bachelor of arts degree in journalism in 1993 and a juris doctor in 1996.
He belongs to the Ohio Judicial Conference, the Ohio State Bar Association, and the Belmont County Bar Association. He sits on the boards of the Belmont County Library, the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and the Belmont County Agricultural Society.
Berhalter serves as scoutmaster of Troop 52. In 1988, he received the Boy Scouts of America’s highest honor, the rank of Eagle Scout.
Governor DeWine will now select another judge to the Belmont County Northern Division Court to fill Berhalter’s term, which runs at the end of 2024. A list of candidates will be compiled by the Belmont County GOP.
The Ohio Star contacted the Belmont County Republican Party for comment but did not receive a reply before press time.
Belmont County Court of Common Pleas General and Domestic Relations Division handles civil suits of a serious nature involving real estate, property, tort, contract, and business relationships. The Common Pleas Court also has jurisdiction over criminal cases involving serious crimes where the penalty may be imprisonment for more than six months. Additionally, the Court of Common Pleas presides over appeals from administrative agencies.
The Belmont County Common Pleas Court judges also have jurisdiction over divorce, dissolution, alimony, child support, annulment, and custody in family disputes.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star, The Star News Network, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected]
