DOMESTIC RELATIONS JUDGE MARY KOVACK SEEKS RE-ELECTION

February 13, 2006
For immediate release
Contact: Joe Lewandowski, 330-764-8154

DOMESTIC RELATIONS JUDGE MARY KOVACK SEEKS RE-ELECTION

Petitions were filed Monday, February 13, 2006.

Six years ago you elected me as your Medina County Domestic Relations Judge and I promised to put families first. I kept my promise.

New programs reduced family conflict by creating inexpensive ways for families to settle differences and provide for the children. The family programs include:

• A mediation program that is available at no cost to county residents;
• A flexible process to enforce child support orders against those who do not pay and an easier process to modify support for those who are ill or laid off;
• A Legal Resource Center with volunteer lawyers to guide people through the legal process;
• A Cases Services Assessment process that allows families to directly communicate with the Court so that the Court can learn their needs and give them information about community resources; and
• Children now have a safe space to be with their parents at the "The Gift Exchange: Supervised Parenting Time & Exchange Center".

By starting a Visiting Judge Program, the Court saved taxpayers’ money by reducing the number of trial magistrates and instead using retired judges for less than the cost of one full time magistrate.

The Court is paid for by tax dollars and the taxpayers deserve to have programs that help them. When families fight, only the lawyers win. Some lawyers do not like the family friendly programs and want the Court to return to a place where the lawyers benefit, not families.

I have been active as a judge and a mom who has been through the Domestic Relations process. As a Judge, I have presided over more than 15,000 domestic relations cases during my first term. Chief Justice Thomas A. Moyer recognized me as a leader by appointing me to serve on the Supreme Court Task for Pro Se and Indigent Litigants. I am the President-Elect of the Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges and I am on the Executive Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference.

I served on the Ohio Child Support Guidelines Commission and was President of the Medina County Bar Association. I am on the Board of Trustees of Project: LEARN, and I was a trustee of the Hands Across Medina County Foundation and the Medina County Arts Council. I am a member of Leadership Medina County and, in 1999, I was recognized by the Medina County YWCA as a Woman of Distinction. As a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus, I received two Grammy awards for classical recordings.

I have been active in scouting with my son and school activities including being a room mom. I graduated with honors from the College of Wooster in 1985. I received my law degree cum laude from Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1989. I was admitted to the bar the same year.

I serve at the pleasure of the citizens of Medina County. I seek re-election so that I can continue to create new and inexpensive ways to ensure children can safely enjoy the love and support of their parents and families.

I will keep families first.