Local man wants judgeship

MONROEVILLE — A local man with deep ties to Erie, Huron and Ottawa counties believes he can become the next Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals judge. Joe Galea, a Monroeville resident who formerly lived in Sandusky, gave some insight into why he's the right person for this open position. Q: Why are you running? JG: I am running for the Democratic nomination for judge of the Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals. Judge Mark Pietrykowski, the incumbent, won the Democratic primary but then withdrew from the race. I am seeking the replacement nomination and then to hopefully run for the seat in November. The county Democratic Parties in the eight counties of the Sixth District will decide the replacement this month. That person will appear on the November ballot. Q: Who is your known competition? JG: There are a number of quality candidates in the race: Judge John Kolesar of Sandusky County and Bob Tucker, a lawyer from Toledo, have confirmed they are interested. There are also past judicial candidates from Toledo, such as Clint Wasserman and Tom Puffenberger, and a magistrate, Karen Connelly. Q: Can you share a little bit of your background? JG: I graduated from the University of Florida in 2008 with my bachelor's degree and from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland in 2012 with my law degree. I attended high school in the Detroit area, where I grew up. I have worked as an attorney at Murray & Murray in Sandusky since 2014. I lived in Sandusky until I moved to Monroeville in 2020. I was elected to Monroeville village council last year, and I have enjoyed serving there. Most importantly, I married my wife Alysha in 2021. Q: What makes you qualified for this position? JG: I've worked at Murray & Murray for over eight years, representing people in our area that are experiencing some of life's biggest hardships and tragedies, and I've worked hard to represent their interests in this same court of appeals that I want to join. Additionally, I have been very involved in our local grievance committee that keeps lawyers in Erie, Huron and Ottawa counties accountable for their ethics and professional behavior. Serving on Monroeville council and previously Sandusky planning commission also have given me insight as to issues that face our communities and the concerns of our citizens. Q: What are the top three reasons you want to run? JG: First, I think it is important that voters have a choice of quality candidates for each race, especially when a candidate has to withdraw. Second, I know how important this court of appeals is to everyone in our community because it is such a big part of my legal practice. Third, I want to make sure that people from my area — Huron and Erie counties — get a voice on this court. Q: If elected, how would you best serve your constituents? JG: This is a difficult question to answer because of the nature of judicial offices, however, the efficiency of our court of appeals and the amount of time it takes for the court to issue its decisions are very important. I want to work with colleagues to get the court's decisions issued on a more timely basis, and I will do that the old-fashioned way: with hard work and putting in the hours. Q: Why should people vote for you? JG: The candidates on the Democratic side are all experienced and well-qualified to sit on the court of appeals. If I am the candidate, I think my combination of experience, knowledge and perspective as a lawyer and resident of the Firelands make me the best choice to continue to keep the court of appeals consistent, efficient and fair to everyone.