Candidate for Medina County Domestics Relations Judge, Ohio

Contact Information

About

"Six years ago when you elected me as your Medina County Domestic Relations Judge, I promised to put families first.  I kept my promise.  I will continue to create new and inexpensive ways to ensure children can safely enjoy the love and support of their parents and families."

For more information on the Medina County Domestic Relations Court click on:  http://www.medinadomesticrelations.org/

Bio

Judge Mary R. Kovack was elected to the Medina County Domestic Relations Court in November 2000 for her term commencing January 1, 2001.  She was also elected and served as the Presiding Judge of the Medina County Court of Common Pleas in 2002.  Prior to being elected to the bench, Judge Kovack served as an attorney on the staffs of two distinguished judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals Sixth Circuit and the Ohio Court of Appeals for the Eighth District.  She has served as an Assistant Medina County Prosecuting Attorney and later created a private practice.  As a private attorney, Judge Kovack successfully represented men, women and children on issues pertaining to divorce and child support enforcement in the Medina County Domestic Relations Court.

Judge Kovack has implemented several changes since taking office.  In 2001, Judge Kovack implemented a Court Mediation Program to aid families in jointly resolving parenting issues. The program has helped over 500 families and has proven successful with over 80% of the families reaching full or partial agreement through mediation.  In 2003, Judge Kovack created a community services assessment process to help parents find peaceful solutions with helpful, no or low cost community resources. 

Judge Kovack has overseen the installation of a new computer system, a physical renovation of the Court, and the opening of a supervised parenting time center.  Judge Kovack also manages a heavy caseload, presiding over more than 10,500 divorces, dissolutions, domestic violence petitions and post decree motions filed in the Domestic Relations Court since taking office.

Judge Kovack received her undergraduate degree with honors from the College of Wooster and her Juris Doctorate degree cum laude from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.  Judge Kovack now teaches courses to fellow judges at the Ohio Judicial College and was recently appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Thomas Moyer to the Supreme Court Task Force on Pro Se and Indigent Litigants.  Judge Kovack rounds off her array of accomplishments with two Grammy awards for classical recordings as a member of the Cleveland Orchestra chorus.    

Judge Kovack brings to the bench sixteen years of experience with families and a commitment to serving the citizens of Medina County.  She and her son reside in the City of Medina.

 Professional Associations:

• Leadership Medina County Class of 1998
• Medina County Bar Association – Former President   
• Medina County YWCA – Woman of Distinction Honoree
• 1999 Project: LEARN of Medina County – Board of Trustees     
• Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges - Vice President