MANSFIELD — Richland County Juvenile Court Judge Steve McKinley will meet Wednesday with Gov. Mike DeWine’s chief legal counsel to discuss an opening on the Ohio Supreme Court.
“I am interested in having a hand in helping to define the Ohio Constitution,” McKinley told Richland Source. “I think that’s an important thing at this point, defining it according to history and context.”
He said as an Ohio Supreme Court justice he would define the state constitution “reasonably and in accordance with our tradition … protecting individual rights and the separation of powers.”
The 56-year-old Bellville resident is one of several candidates reportedly expressing an interest in the position, according to a story published Wednesday at www.cleveland.com.
He said the “informal meeting” with DeWine’s legal counsel will be in Columbus.
“We will see how that goes,” McKinley said. “I don’t know what that will be like.”
The local judge, who was unopposed in his bid for a new six-year term in November, cited his 24 years of judicial experience, including work as a magistrate in both Domestic Relations and Juvenile courts.
“It sets me up with the necessary experience to serve on the court if that’s something the governor thinks I would be good for,” McKinley said.
A Republican, McKinley was appointed to the Juvenile Court post by DeWine in March 2019 when former Judge Ron Spon, a local judge for 26 years, left the bench.
“I think the governor has recognized I have good qualities,” McKinley said. “I care about young people being successful and that is something near and dear to his heart.”
McKinley won an election in November 2020 against Democrat Roeliff “Rollie” Harper to finish the term, earning about 67 percent of the votes cast. McKinley was unopposed in his bid for a full, new term last month.
He would have to repeat the process if appointed to the state’s top court. The new justice would be on the ballot in November 2024 to complete the term and then run again in 2026 for a complete six-year term.
Richland County Juvenile Court Judge Steve McKinley:
— Bellville resident
— Earned a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1990 from Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.
— Earned law degree from Regent University in Virginia.
— Hired as a magistrate right out of law school in 1998 by former Judge Ron Spon, who then oversaw a combined Domestic Relations/Juvenile Court. The courts were separated in 2005 with Spon leading Juvenile Court and Heather Cockley elected as Domestic Relations Court judge.
— Served as chief magistrate in Domestic Relations Court for Cockley from 2011 until his appointment to replace Spon as judge of Juvenile Court in 2019.
The Ohio Supreme Court vacancy was created when Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy was elected in November as chief justice, replacing outgoing Republican Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor.
The Cleveland.com story said a “lobbying effort is underway to sway (DeWine) as he considers whom to appoint, letters sent to the governor’s office show.”
Cleveland.com obtained the letters through a public records request, according to the story.
“The letters show DeWine has been urged to consider several candidates, including Ben Flowers, the state solicitor general who works for Attorney General Dave Yost, and Megan Shanahan, a Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge,” according to the story.
The story said DeWine’s office was directly contacted by at least three candidates “expressing interest in the position” — McKinley, Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Daniel Hawkins and Fairview Park attorney Joseph Burke.
The Cleveland.com story said state Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) wrote a letter to DeWine on McKinley’s behalf. In the letter, Romanchuk wrote McKinley’s tenure has been “a beacon of judicial review and justice for each citizen of Ohio who has entered his courtroom.”
According to the Cleveland story, none of the letters sent to DeWine mention Joe Deters, the Hamilton County prosecutor and former state treasurer whom media reports have tied to the position.
DeWine told reporters last week “a lot of people are applying,” but that no decision has been made. The governor has said he plans to fill the vacancy by the end of the year.
McKinley said he thinks DeWine will be looking for a new justice “along the lines” of Kennedy, Justice Patrick Fischer or Justice Pat DeWine.
O’Connor, the outgoing Republican chief justice, was often seen as a “swing vote” with the court’s three Democrats, including during the redistricting process earlier this year.
Regardless, McKinley acknowledged his local judicial seat is secure for the next six years.
“That is certainly a consideration,” he said.
