Attorney supports Dusza for judge

The Erie County Courthouse is a landmark where I as executive director and attorney for the Erie County Department of Job & Family Services spent many hours. When I picture it today, I think how fortunate the citizens of our county are to have four common pleas courts inside that building that are presided over by four dedicated, upstanding and exceptionally knowledgeable judges, although the fourth seat is to be vacated due to Ohio Supreme Court age restrictions. Fortunately, local attorney Tom Dusza has the legal expertise, judicial knowledge, integrity and respect for the rule of law which make him the best candidate to fill that position, and I highly recommend that he be selected as the Republican choice on May 5. My initial experience with Tom was in Common Pleas Family Court with him primarily representing defendants in child support cases while I represented the State of Ohio. I was immediately impressed with his preparation for the cases and his knowledge of the issues. Even more impressive was the respect and consideration he showed to the parties as well as court personnel. This made an impact because I have seen various attorneys and judges treat personnel as servants or as if they were invisible. Consideration comports with Tom's approach to people in general. This is not a judge who would consider himself above the general public. This ability to respect and relate well with people is essential to a successful organization, and Tom is the one who can appreciate those staffers and build that strong team that is needed to move this court forward with a vision of what it could be in the future. He further demonstrates the ability to respect and work very well with the other three judges and their court personnel. In his personal practice, Tom became and remains a prominent figure in our legal community. Besides being a long-term member of the Erie County Bar Association, he is president of the Grievance Committee, a mediator and an instructor in court management. In 2024, he agreed to succeed me as Bar president at a time when he was taking on ever more responsibility in probate, but in typical fashion Tom took it on and handled that and all his other commitments well. In particular, he made the court more organized and efficient as well as affording staff the opportunity to have a voice in the process. Under Tom, the probate court may well become a general court while still retaining all the services it has always had although demand in various areas have declined in recent years. A move toward that status would allow all four courts to act more efficiently and potentially reduce costs to taxpayers throughout the county. In conclusion, I sincerely believe that voting for Tom Dusza is an opportunity no one should ignore. That vote will also make you the winner when Tom takes the bench. Karen Balconi Ghezzi Sandusky