At the age of 73, Oney can not run for another 4-year term. Ohio law prevents election to a judgeship after the age of 70. Her term ends Dec. 31, 2016.
“It is a little sad because I really like doing the job and people tell me I do a good job,” she said, but noted people don’t usually tell judges they are doing a bad job.
Oney, who was in private practice for 20 years before moving on to a judgeship in county Area I Court, then to common plea judge 1998, said she still wants to stay active in the law perhaps as a visiting judge or in mediation.
But retiring to sit on the porch of her 200-year-old house near Oxford with her husband, a retired dentist, is likely not in the cards, she said.
“Over the years, a lot of attorneys have told me they were going to run when I left. Now is their chance. We’ll see who really wants it, and who was all talk,” Oney said.
Three Butler County attorneys have officially pulled petitions to run in the Republican March 2016 primary for the open judgeship. They are: Melynda Cook Howard, a private practice attorney; H. Matthew Reed, magistrate for Butler County Common Pleas Judge Noah Powers; and Greg Stephens, an assistant Butler County prosecutor.
As of Friday afternoon, no Democratic candidates had pulled petitions for the seat, according to the Butler County Board of Elections.
Cook Howard, 44, of Middletown, is a native of Michigan and graduated from the University College of Law in 1996. She is the mother of a 10-year-old daughter and is married to attorney Greg Howard.
She has spent her career in private practice, currently with Repper, Pagan and Cook in Middletown, taking clients in all aspects of law, including contested divorces, child custody and criminal. Cook Howard is certified lead counsel in death penalty cases and has defended nine death penalty cases.
Reed, 41, of Hamilton, is from Cincinnati and graduated from Capital University in 2001. He is married and has two step children.
He began his law career as a law clerk for Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Ann Marie Tracy. In 2002, Reed became magistrate for Butler County Common Pleas Judge Matthew Crehan. When Crehan retired, Reed continued as magistrate of newly elected Judge Noah Powers, where he is currently employed.
As a common pleas magistrate, Reed has presided over hearings and trials, both criminal and civil, and has researched and draft law briefs for the judges.
Stephens, 44, of Fairfield Twp., graduated from the University of Dayton School of Law in 1995. He is married and has two children.
He began his career in private practice as counsel in both civil and criminal cases. But in 1997, Stephens joined the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office where is he currently employed in the general division. Stephens, who also worked as a assistant prosecutor in the juvenile and area courts, has tried felony cases, including rape, robbery, murder, drug and sex offenses.
Stephens also worked for one year in the United States Attorney’s Office in Cincinnati, working drug and firearms cases.
The deadline to file petitions for certification in the 2016 primary is Dec. 16.
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