The Ohio State Bar Association last week announced its Ohio Supreme Court candidate ratings for the November election.
Its Commission on Judicial Candidates ''highly recommended'' justices Yvette McGee Brown, the only Democrat on the seven-person court and Robert R. Cupp.
A ''highly recommended'' rating is given when at least 70 percent of the commission members vote favorably.
''This candidate possesses a high combination of legal knowledge and ability, professional competence, judicial temperament, integrity, diligence, personal responsibility and demonstrated public and community service, and would be capable of outstanding performance,'' as chief justice or justice, states a news release from OSBA.
Receiving marks of ''recommended'' were justice Terrence O'Donnell and William O'Neill, a former judge on 11th District Court of Appeals, which includes Trumbull County.
To receive a ''recommended'' rating, a vote of at least 60 percent is needed. Candidates getting this rating would be able to perform satisfactorily.
O'Neill is challenging Cupp.
You might remember O'Neill of Stow had some challenges earlier this year getting his name on the primary election ballot.
He had to sue 10 county boards of election after it was found he was seven signatures short of the 1,000 he needed, claiming that 13 signatures on his nominating petitions were wrongly rejected. Nothing came of the suit after Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted agreed that at least seven of the signatures in question should have been allowed and directed county elections boards to put O'Neill on the ballot.
Funny, he filed the suit with the supreme court to run for a seat on the supreme court.
Judge Sharon Kennedy, a domestic relations judge in Butler County, who is challenging Brown, received a ''not recommended'' rating from the commission.
A ''not recommended'' rating indicates the candidate's qualifications are not suited to be supreme court justice.
The Trumbull County Bar Association doesn't rate supreme court candidates, according to bar association president Jason Earnhart, but it does something similar for judicial candidates in Trumbull County.
They do a preference poll for those races, said Earnhart, adding he's suggested the local bar move to a format similar to the state bar's ratings.
Patty Gerin, bar association executive director, said candidates in two person races to get the ''preferred'' status must receive 66 2/3 percent of all votes cast. In races with more than two people, she said, the level is 50 percent.
Results of the poll - ballots are out now to members who are current on their dues - will be counted on June 26.
The poll only is done in contested races.
This year there are two: Democrat Judge Mary Jane Trapp is being challenged by Republican Colleen Mary O'Toole, former appeals court judge, for a seat on the 11th District Court Appeals and Republican Judge Richard James is being opposed by Sandra Stabile Harwood, a Democrat, for Family Court judge.