Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced on Tuesday the appointment of Republican attorney Michael DeLeone to the Lake County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division serving the community of Lake County.
Judge-designee DeLeone will take the seat formerly held by Judge Karen Lawson who passed away in February. The judge-designee will assume office on August 14th, 2023. DeLeone 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.
According to the judge, he is a hardworking and passionate attorney with vast experience to qualify him for the position.
“I am a hard-working and passionate attorney with over twenty years of complex legal experience in a wide variety of legal settings. Adept at writing, drafting, and reviewing policies for a multitude of agencies and companies. I’m recognized as a leader with the ability to perform work both autonomously and as a member of a diverse team,” DeLeone said.
DeLeone, of Concord, has been an assistant prosecuting attorney with the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for the past 21 years. Before that, he started his law career in 2001 as an associate attorney for McIntyre, Kahn, & Kruse Company L.P.A., which is now Weston Hurd LLP. He also spent 12 years teaching law courses at Lakeland Community College.
DeLeone is a member of the Lake-Geauga Head Start, Lake County Employees Federal Credit Union, and Lake County Salvation Army boards in his neighborhood. He served as a city councilman and board member for the City of Painesville for over five years and over a year, respectively.
The judge graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Kent State University in 1995 before receiving a Juris Doctorate at the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 2000 and then a master of law degree in 2007.
The Ohio Star contacted DeLeone for additional comment but did not receive a reply before press time.
Lake County Ohio Republican Party applauded Governor DeWine’s appointment of DeLeone to the Common Pleas Court.
“CONGRATULATIONS! Governor De Wine Appoints DeLeone to Lake County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division,” The Lake County Ohio Republican Party said.
The Star reached out to the Lake County Ohio Republican Party for additional comment but did not receive a reply before press time.
The Lake County Court of Common Pleas Juvenile Division has exclusive jurisdiction concerning any person under eighteen years old who is alleged to be a juvenile traffic offender, delinquent, unruly, abused, neglected, or dependent child. The juvenile court also has jurisdiction in adult cases involving paternity, child abuse, non-support, contributing to the delinquency of minors, and failure to send children to school.
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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]
