Earle E. Wise, Jr.

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

Former Judge of the Ohio Court of Appeals, Fifth Appellate District – encompassing 15 Ohio Counties

Stark, Ashland, Coshocton, Delaware, Fairfield, Guernsey, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Perry, Richland, Tuscarawas

Served from February 2017 to February 2023; one of only 69 appellate court judges in the entire State of Ohio. Reviewed the decisions of the trial court judges in the fifteen-county district, covering extensive legal issues from the municipal, common pleas, family, divorce, juvenile, and probate courts including both criminal and civil cases.

Assigned by the Ohio Chief Justice to sit on the Supreme Court of Ohio, and hear cases in some of the other 11 appellate court districts in the State of Ohio, and serve on The Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Court Security. Served as both the Presiding Judge and the Administrative Judge

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Question 2

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

I have been an Attorney for over 25 years with extensive and varied experience in the private and public sectors involving both criminal and civil legal matters.

I am currently the Chief Counsel to the Massillon City Law Director. The duties include providing advice to City officials and personnel on all civil matters, review and creation of contracts and public bid documents, the initiation and defense of civil litigation involving the City.

I have additional experience as the Administrator of the City of North Canton. I represented the City in labor negotiations, mediations, and hearings in front of State agencies. My duties included ensuring compliance with employment and human resources requirements and the Ohio Worker’s Compensation System.

As an attorney in private practice and as an assistant public defender I represented indigent defendants in both municipal and common pleas courts. While in the Stark County Prosecutor’s Office I worked in the Juvenile, Civil, and Criminal Divisions. I screened cases in municipal court and decided which felony case went directly to the Stark County Grand Jury when the Prosecutor operated the Direct Indictment Program. I prosecuted hundreds of misdemeanor and felony criminal cases as a senior trial attorney.

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Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

For over 25 years I have practiced law in Stark County resulting in an extensive and varied legal background. As a former judge on the Ohio Court of Appeals, I have a great deal of high-level judicial experience.

My experience includes working as an attorney in the municipal and common pleas courtrooms of Stark and surrounding counties. Additionally, I argued cases in the court of appeals. I represented private clients and was appointed by multiple judges to represent indigent defendants. I represented the State of Ohio as an assistant prosecutor for Stark County securing hundreds of convictions in serious felony cases. I have extensive jury trial experience presenting case to juries in municipal and common pleas courts.

As a former judge serving a full six-year term on the Fifth District Court of Appeals, I heard and decided complicated legal issues on a vast array of topics. These issues came from cases tried in the courtrooms of the fifteen counties which make up Ohio’s Fifth Appellate District. In that district there are well over 125 trial court judges and magistrates who make decisions in thousands of hearings and trials each year. When those decisions were appealed my job was to review those decisions and write opinions correcting errors when necessary. Those opinions set legal precedents on important legal issues throughout the appellate district. The trial court judges and magistrates then use those appellate court decisions as guidance in properly applying the law to ensure justice in an efficient, fair, and consistent basis throughout the entire district.

I have unique and invaluable experience which can directly benefit the Citizens of the Canton Municipal Court District. I provided dedicated service to my clients as a private attorney and the people of Stark County as an assistant prosecutor. I worked hard to serve the residents of fifteen counties as a former Ohio Court of Appeals Judge making tough decisions on complex legal issues. I will be a clear-eyed, independent, firm and fair, experienced jurist who can improve the trial court bench.

I humbly ask for your consideration and vote.

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