Donna Freeman and Richard Ramsey seek vacant Lorain County Common Pleas judge position

Two candidates are running to replace Lorain County Common Pleas Judge John Miraldi in the Nov. 5 general election.

The Morning Journal sent surveys to Donna Freeman and Richard Ramsey, and they responded.

Donna Freeman

Donna Freeman has expressed her intention to focus on public safety issues, particularly gun violence, and to impose harsher sentences on criminals and devise plans for more effective ways to deal with larger sentences.

“Every case is different, and there will always be unique circumstances and challenges in individual cases,” Freeman wrote. “An overall plan may be developed to move cases more quickly, but each case will be evaluated individually to ensure both parties have a fair trial.”

Freeman wrote that he will continue to strive to treat all individuals with dignity, courtesy and respect.

Freeman, who has more than 30 years of experience in the court system, has served in positions such as mediator, deputy prosecutor, deputy prosecutor and trial attorney.

Freeman said he works on a spectrum of violent and non-violent crimes, some of which include gang cases and drug trafficking/possession cases.

Freeman has served as Judge Frank Janik’s magistrate judge for the past five years, presiding over a variety of cases, including juvenile delinquency cases, special custody cases, domestic violence/juvenile protection orders and child trafficking cases.

“I handle juvenile dispositions, probation violation hearings, and requests for release from detention facilities,” he wrote. “I regularly have children coming before me with serious violent crimes.”

In his response, Freeman wrote that he has presided over private custody cases, contested visitation hearings and show-cause hearings that are civil in nature.

Richard Ramsey

With more than two decades of representation experience in private practice, he will work to make court proceedings more efficient by showing up on time, Richard Ramsey wrote in the Morning Journal survey.

Ramsey wrote that having a lean budget within the court system is “important” and that taxpayer money should be spent wisely.

“Having served in city government as treasurer of the City of Amherst, Ohio, I have experience preparing and tracking budgets,” he wrote. “Having managed millions of dollars during my tenure, I understand public finances and its impact on government and the public.”

Ramsey emphasized the importance of Common Pleas Court judges working in concert with Lorain County commissioners and other county government departments to confront issues together without involving personal feelings or beliefs.

“Having counseled clients and negotiated settlements for decades, I understand settlement,” he wrote. “Additionally, having worked in city government for ten years, I have the ability to work constructively with other government agencies.”

Ramsey wrote that he spent his career not only at the County Justice Center, handling cases ranging from custody to multimillion-dollar trust cases.

Related Posts