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LISBON -- Columbiana County Assistant Prosecutors Kelly Linger, Danielle Menning and Christopher Weeda had their names submitted Friday to Gov. Mike DeWine to consider for the county Municipal Court judge appointment.
"I have interviewed each of these three highly competent attorneys and have checked their references and can attest to their personal and professional qualifications. Any one of these three candidates would be an excellent choice to succeed Judge Katelyn Dickey on the Columbiana County Municipal Court bench," county Republican Party Chairman David Johnson said in his letter to the governor's office.
Dickey was recently appointed by the governor to fill a hole on the Seventh District Court of Appeals, filling the unexpired term of former Judge David D'Apolito, who resigned at the beginning of the year. His unfinished term expires at the end of this year.
Dickey last month won the Republican primary for the seat and will be unopposed in the general election. Her last day at county Municipal Court, where she's been serving since Jan. 1, 2020, was Tuesday.
Since she was a Republican, the task of submitting names of candidates for her seat on the bench fell to the county GOP. Her unfinished term doesn't expire until Dec. 31, 2025, so whoever is appointed will serve just under two years. If they want to keep the seat, they'll need to run in 2025 for a new six-year term.
The governor's office will vet the candidates and conduct interviews and background checks, with the final decision on who to appoint up to DeWine.
Linger, of East Liverpool, joined the prosecutor's office in January 2021, with her responsibilities including the establishment and enforcement of child support orders including through the civil contempt process and felony criminal prosecution. She also advises the Columbiana County Department of Job and Family Services Child Support Enforcement Agency on all child support related legal matters.
She ran her own law firm from 2007 to 2022 focusing on criminal defense, family law, custody disputes and estate planning, served as president of the Columbiana County Defense League from 2018 to 2021, served as acting judge of East Liverpool Municipal Court from 2018 to 2019 when the sitting judge wasn't available, served as assistant law director/prosecutor for the village of Wellsville, served as an attorney with the county Criminal Defense League from 2008 to 2018 and was an associate attorney with Mark Obral and Associates from 2006 to 2008.
Linger earned a bachelor's degree in psychology from Kent State University in August 2001 and her Juris Doctor law degree from Cleveland Marshall College of Law in May 2006. She's been serving on the board of directors/legal counsel for the Columbiana County Memorial Park from 2016 to present.
Menning, of Leetonia, has been with the prosecutor's office since January 2020 and also serves as community outreach director besides her duties as assistant prosecutor in the county Municipal Court where she works closely with the judge and court personnel. She also obtains search warrants for various law enforcement agencies, and oversees the social media platforms for the prosecutor's office, creating content for the website.
She also ran Menning Photographic with her husband from April 2011 to November 2021, served as a landman for Larkspur Land Group from July 2012 to August 2013, served as an associate with Zuzolo Law Offices in civil litigation and served as a staff attorney/intern with Oldham Kramer from June 2009 to January 2010. From January 2007 to May 2009, she served as co-director of the Jail Inmate Assistance Program and Appellate Review Office Associate at the University of Akron Legal Clinic and served as a judicial intern for Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas from June 2008 to November 2008.
Menning earned a bachelor's degree in English from Kent State University in 2006 and earned her Juris Doctor law degree from the University of Akron School of Law in 2010.
Weeda, of Lisbon, joined the prosecutor's office in January 2021, serving in East Liverpool Municipal Court, Columbiana County Municipal Court and Common Pleas Court. He served as an associate attorney from January 2018 to December 2020 with the Amato Law Office representing clients in civil and criminal matters and with the Columbiana County Defense League representing indigent clients in Common Pleas Court and Juvenile Court. He served as an associate attorney for the Law Offices of Shirley J. Smith in criminal and civil matters from March 2017 to October 2017. He was a volunteer at the Certificate for Qualification of Employment Clinic in spring 2016, worked as an instructor and trial team coach for the Law & Leadership Institute in summer 2015 and served as a legal clerk at Amato Law Office in the summers of 2014 and 2015.
Weeda earned a bachelor's degree in business administration at Westminster College in May 2013 and earned his Juris Doctor law degree in May 2016 from the University of Akron School of Law.
mgreier@mojonews.com