Gina Russo
From Ballotpedia
This page was last updated during the official's most recent election or appointment. Please contact us with any updates.
Tenure
2021 - Present
Term ends
2028
Years in position
4
Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Gina Russo is a judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court in Ohio. She assumed office on March 22, 2021. Her current term ends on January 3, 2028.
Russo ran for re-election for judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court in Ohio. She won in the general election on November 2, 2021.
Russo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. Click here to read the survey answers.
Gov. Mike DeWine (R) appointed Russo on March 4, 2019. She took office on March 18. Russo filled the vacant seat resulting from Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt's election to the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals.[1][2]
Biography
Gina Russo was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She obtained a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1999 and a J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2002. Prior to her judicial appointment, Russo was an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office. Russo was previously a litigation associate at Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease, LLP, in Columbus. She has been affiliated with the Ohio Judicial Conference, Ohio State Bar Association, Columbus Bar Association, Ohio Women's Bar Association, Columbus Bar Association, Women Lawyers of Franklin County, Thomas J. Moyer Inns of Court, and Ohio Women in Government.[2][3][4]
Elections
2021
See also: Municipal elections in Franklin County, Ohio (2021)
General election
General election for Franklin County Municipal Court
Incumbent Gina Russo defeated Rena Shak in the general election for Franklin County Municipal Court on November 2, 2021.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Gina Russo (Nonpartisan)  | 52.2 | 94,368 |
 | Rena Shak (Nonpartisan) | 47.8 | 86,403 | |
| Total votes: 180,771 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
2020
See also: Municipal elections in Franklin County, Ohio (2020)
General election
Special general election for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Sheryl Munson defeated incumbent Gina Russo in the special general election for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on November 3, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sheryl Munson (Nonpartisan) | 55.3 | 281,367 |
| Gina Russo (Nonpartisan) | 44.7 | 227,532 | |
| Total votes: 508,899 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Special Democratic primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Sheryl Munson advanced from the special Democratic primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sheryl Munson | 100.0 | 89,338 |
| Total votes: 89,338 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Special Republican primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division
Incumbent Gina Russo advanced from the special Republican primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on April 28, 2020.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Gina Russo | 100.0 | 27,971 |
| Total votes: 27,971 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Endorsements
To view Russo's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.
Campaign themes
2021
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Gina Russo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2021. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Russo's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I am currently a judge on the Franklin County Municipal Court, and preside over a docket of approximately 500 civil and criminal cases. From October 2012 to March 2019, I prosecuted upper-level felony and murder cases as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. From September 2002 to October 2012, I was a civil litigation associate at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP. There, I litigated a vast array of civil cases, including, defending several important Constitutional rights before the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. I am the incumbent judge and have the unique and rare combination of experience in civil and criminal law. I am fair and impartial and provide everyone an opportunity to be heard and equal access to justice for all. I am empathetic and compassionate and treat people with dignity and respect. I am guided by the rule of law and work hard to achieve justice. I am passionate about the community and volunteer frequently to help those in need. I graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Bowling Green State University in 1999, and as among the Order of the Barristers from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2002.
- As your judge, I work hard to improve lives and keep our communities safe.
- Your case matters to me and I will give it the time, attention and detail it deserves.
- I come to the bench with nearly 20 years of judicial, civil and criminal litigation experience. There is no substitute for experience and a proven track record.
I am primarily passionate about policies that ensure all people a fair and impartial trial, that uphold and protect all constitutional rights, and that treat everyone equally under the law.
I look up to my mother for her courage, strength and resilience. At the age of three, my parents were divorced and, around the same time, my maternal grandmother died from breast cancer. During that same year, and at the age of 31, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought hard and went into remission only for it to return a number of months later. She ultimately had a double mastectomy and was able to beat breast cancer entirely. In November 2016, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and, again, endured months of treatment, chemotherapy and medication. She ultimately beat ovarian cancer at the age of 65, and is now 4 years cancer free! My mother has faced numerous challenges, but has always handled them with determination and grace. I hope to emulate her strength, resilience and passion for life.
An elected official must be committed to public service and be responsible and accessible to the public. To do this, an elected official must be open, honest and genuine about his or her intentions. An elected official must exercise his or her responsibilities with integrity and have the best interests of the community in mind at all times. I also believe an elected official must have a measured and even-handed temperament and be able to handle difficult and challenging situations with grace.
I am fair and impartial, even-tempered and objective. I am empathetic and compassionate and work hard to help people improve their lives and to keep our community safe. I am honest and act with integrity on and off the bench. I strive to reach the fair and just result in each case. I am diplomatic and am able to navigate difficult situations. I am a skilled litigator, researcher and writer and I communicate effectively. I have the ability to make difficult decisions and remain calm under pressure. I issue well-reasoned decisions in a timely and efficient manner. I effectively manage a team of a bailiff, an assistant and a court reporter, to ensure that each and every litigant has equal access to justice and will be afforded a fair trial.
A judge should be experienced in the matters over which he or she presides. A judge needs to be prepared and well-versed on the subject matters presented for consideration. A judge should keep an open mind during proceedings and afford everyone an opportunity to be heard. A judge should consider the facts of the case and be guided by the rule of law. A judge may need to make difficult decisions at times, and should be able to exercise the courage and integrity to do so.
I would like to be known as a judge who is fair, even-tempered, who treated everyone with dignity and respect, and who always sought to improve lives and make positive impacts on the community.
The first historical event I can recall is the explosion of the Challenger in January 1986. I was eight (8) years old and in third grade.
My first job was working as cashier at Arby's. I was only fourteen (14) years old, but I wanted to earn money instead of asking my parents for it. I had to obtain a work permit because I was under the legal working age in Ohio at the time.
It is hard to pick a "favorite book," but I practice yoga and mediation, so the book I refer to the most frequently is the "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali."
Any song by Dave Matthews Band.
I have struggled to find balance between my personal and professional life.
As a judge, I understand I have the power to greatly impact people's lives. I understand the decisions I make profoundly affect many people in the community. Therefore, in order to make these types of decisions, I must know the community, the issues, problems, hardships and challenges we face. When I became a judge, I intentionally reached out to many labor, religious, charitable, cultural and educational organizations to establish relationships, bridge gaps and answer questions. I have established many relationships with community leaders, which have proven to be mutually beneficial for the community and the bench. I have learned that the "power of the black robe" is far-reaching and I vow to use it only to make positive impacts, to help improve lives, and to keep our community safe.
As a judge, I provide equal access to the court and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be heard. I listen with an open-mind and apply the law to the facts and strive to reach a fair and just result. I am fair, impartial, empathetic and compassionate. I understand it is my job to make important decisions that will impact many lives. In sentencing matters, I attempt to utilize all available resources to improve lives, including treatment and other resources for alcohol and drug, mental health, anger management and/or other addiction issues. It is my responsibility to ensure that people are given the best chance at improving their situation and getting their lives back on track. I feel it is important to applaud a person's successes rather than compound or criticize their struggles.
I admire former Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton for her work as a jurist. In 1988, Justice Stratton became the first woman elected judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. In 1996, she became an Ohio Supreme Court Justice, and voters elected her to serve three more six-year terms. In 2012, she retired from the Ohio Supreme Court, only to continue working with the state on mental health issues. Working along the Governor and the Attorney General, she has been instrumental in starting Stepping Up, a program which facilitates the creation and management of specialty mental health court dockets in several counties throughout Ohio.
Absolutely. Empathy is one of the most critical qualities a judge must possess and exhibit. I understand that I make decisions which will greatly impact people's lives. In order to make these very important decisions, I must understand and empathize with the issues, particular situations and life stressors of everyone who comes before me in order to help improve their overall situation and help them to succeed.
In September 2020, I was rated as "Highly Recommended" by the Columbus Bar Association, Judicial Screening Committee. This was the highest rating a judge or judicial candidate could receive under that rating system.
In May 2020, I was rated by attorneys as part of the Columbus Bar Association Judicial Performance Poll. I scored very well on "judicial temperament" and "objectivity."
I am running to maintain my seat as judge on the Franklin County Municipal Court. I am the only candidate in my race to have judicial experience and prior litigation experience in both civil and criminal law. I have a proven track record to be fair, impartial and neutral in all proceedings. I give everyone an opportunity to be heard and I provide equal access to justice for all. I treat everyone in my courtroom with dignity and respect and expect that the lawyers, parties and witnesses will do the same. I give each case the time, attention and detail it deserves and I issue well-reasoned and thorough opinions in a timely and efficient manner. I am even-tempered, measured and diplomatic. I work hard to reach the fair and just result in each case.
I am also passionate about this community and want to see it thrive. I regularly volunteer with community outreach partners and participate in re-entry programs, which help people overcome obstacles and remove impediments to improving their overall situation, such as filing expungements of prior convictions, suspending fines and costs on older cases, and helping with driver's licenses suspensions and reinstatements. I hope to provide people with the necessary tools to lead stable, healthy and productive lifestyles and to provide referrals to important and valuable resources.
I am also passionate about this community and want to see it thrive. I regularly volunteer with community outreach partners and participate in re-entry programs, which help people overcome obstacles and remove impediments to improving their overall situation, such as filing expungements of prior convictions, suspending fines and costs on older cases, and helping with driver's licenses suspensions and reinstatements. I hope to provide people with the necessary tools to lead stable, healthy and productive lifestyles and to provide referrals to important and valuable resources.
I do not believe it is either beneficial or detrimental. As a judge, I remain non-partisan and conduct all court proceedings without regard to politics or a political agenda.
My primary concern is to help improve lives while keeping our communities safe. In doing so, I would like focus more on identifying and treating mental health issues within the criminal justice system.
The greatest opportunity for the Ohio legal system is to place more of an emphasis on identifying and treating mental health issues. There are a number of counties in Ohio that have already implemented a mental health specialty court docket to address these issues. The time is ripe for us to continue to investigate these specialty courts and for each county to determine whether a mental heath specialty court docket is appropriate for their jurisdiction.
Yes. Currently, I enjoy presiding over trials and I would like to do so for several more years. However, I can envision running for the court of appeals or even the Ohio Supreme Court at some point in the future. I am keenly interested in complex legal issues and enjoy legal research and writing. I also enjoy preparing, delivering and presiding over oral arguments.
Yes. The Columbus Bar Association, Judicial Screening Committee, is comprised of many well-known and highly-esteemed attorneys in the community. I have had personal and professional experiences with many of those attorneys, either as a civil litigation associate, an assistant prosecuting attorney or a judge. I believe the ratings I have received as "Highly Recommended" and "5-Stars" is reflective of those positive experiences.
I honestly cannot remember jokes 2 minutes after they are told!
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2020
Gina Russo completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Russo's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
I am currently a judge on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, and preside over a docket of approximately 600 civil and criminal cases. From October 2012 to March 2019, I prosecuted upper-level felony and murder cases as an Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. From September 2002 to October 2012, I was a civil litigation associate at Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease, LLP. There, I litigated a vast array of civil cases involving contracts, torts, product liability, premises liability, labor and employment, workers' compensation and commercial litigation. I am the incumbent judge and have the unique and rare combination of experience in civil and criminal law. I am fair and impartial and provide everyone an opportunity to be heard and equal access to justice in my courtroom. I am empathetic and compassionate and treat people with dignity and respect. I am guided by the rule of law and work hard to achieve justice. I am passionate about the community and volunteer frequently to help those in need. I graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Bowling Green State University in 1999, and as among the Order of the Barristers from Wake Forest University School of Law in 2002.
- As the incumbent, I have a proven track record as a judge, and the rare combination of prior litigation experience in both civil and criminal law.
- Your case matters to me. I will give it the time, attention and detail it deserves.
- As a judge, I work hard to improve lives and keep our communities safe.
I am primarily passionate about policies that ensure all people a fair and impartial trial, that uphold and protect all constitutional rights, and that treat everyone equally under the law.
I look up to my mother for her courage, strength and resilience. At the age of three, my parents were divorced and, around the same time, her mother (my grandmother) died from breast cancer and my mother was simultaneously diagnosed with it. She fought hard and beat cancer in her 30's. In November 2016, my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and, again, beat it in her 60's. My mother has faced numerous challenges, but she has always handled them with determination and grace.
An elected official must be committed to public service and be responsible and accessible to the public. To do this, an elected official must be open, honest and genuine about his or her intentions. An elected official must exercise his or her responsibilities with integrity and have the best interests of the community in mind at all times.
I am fair and impartial, even-tempered and objective. I am empathetic and compassionate and work hard to help people improve their lives and to keep our community safe. I am honest and act with integrity on and off the bench. I strive to reach the fair and just result in each case. I am diplomatic and am able to navigate difficult situations. I am a skilled litigator, researcher and writer and I communicate effectively. I have the ability to make difficult decisions and remain calm under pressure. I issue well-reasoned decisions in a timely and efficient manner. I effectively manage a team of a magistrate, staff attorney, bailiff, assistant and court reporter, to ensure that each and every litigant has equal access to justice and will be afforded a fair trial.
A judge should be experienced in the matters over which he or she presides. A judge needs to be prepared and well-versed on the subject matters presented for consideration. A judge should keep an open mind during proceedings and afford everyone an opportunity to be heard. A judge should consider the facts of the case and be guided by the rule of law. A judge may need to make difficult decisions at times, and should be able to exercise the courage and integrity to do so.
I would like to be known as a judge who is fair, even-tempered and who always sought to improve lives and make positive impacts on the community.
The first historical event I can recall is the explosion of the Challenger in January 1986. I was eight (8) years old and in third grade.
My first job was working as cashier at Arby's. I was only fourteen (14) years old, but I wanted to earn money instead of asking my parents for it. I had to obtain a work permit because I was under the legal working age in Ohio at the time.
It is hard to pick a "favorite book," but I practice yoga and mediation, so the book I refer to the most frequently is the "Yoga Sutras of Patanjali."
Belle of "Beauty and the Beast," for the ability to see true character and goodness beneath the surface.
I don't remember the last song that got stuck in my head, but I love any song by Dave Matthews.
I have struggled to find balance between my personal and professional life.
As a judge, I understand I have the power to greatly impact people's lives. I understand the decisions I make profoundly affect many people in the community. Therefore, in order to make these types of decisions, I must know the community, the issues, problems, hardships and challenges we face. When I became a judge, I intentionally reached out to many labor, religious, charitable, cultural and educational organizations to establish relationships, bridge gaps and answer questions. I have established many relationships with community leaders, which have proven to be mutually beneficial for the community and for the bench. I have learned that the power of the black robe is far-reaching and I vow to use it only to make positive impacts, to help improve lives, and to keep our community safe.
As a judge, I provide equal access to the court and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be heard. I listen with an open-mind and apply the law to the facts and strive to reach a fair and just result. I am fair, impartial, empathetic and compassionate. I understand it is my job to make important decisions that will impact many lives. In sentencing matters, I attempt to utilize all available resources to improve lives, including treatment and other resources for alcohol and drug, mental health, anger management and/or other addition issues. It is my responsibility to ensure that people are given the best chance at improving their situation and getting their lives back on track. I feel it is important to applaud a person's successes rather than compound or criticize their struggles.
I admire former Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton for her work as a jurist. In 1988, Justice Stratton became the first woman elected judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas. In 1996, she became an Ohio Supreme Court Justice, and voters elected her to serve three more six-year terms. In 2012, she retired from the Ohio Supreme Court, only to continue working with the state on mental health issues. Working along the Governor and the Attorney General, she has been instrumental in starting Stepping Up, a program which facilitates the creation and management of specialty mental health court dockets in several counties throughout Ohio.
Yes. Empathy is one of the most critical qualities a judge must possess and exhibit. I understand that I make decisions which will greatly impact people's lives. In order to make these very important decisions, I must understand and empathize with the issues, particular situations and life stressors of everyone who comes before me in order to help improve the overall situation.
In September 2020, I was rated as "Highly Recommended" by the Columbus Bar Association, Judicial Screening Committee.
In May 2020, I was rated by attorneys as part of the Columbus Bar Association Judicial Performance Poll. I scored very well on "judicial temperament" and "objectivity."
In May 2020, I was rated by attorneys as part of the Columbus Bar Association Judicial Performance Poll. I scored very well on "judicial temperament" and "objectivity."
I am running to maintain my seat as judge on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas-General Division. I am the only candidate in my race to have judicial experience and prior litigation experience in both civil and criminal law. I have a proven track record to be fair, impartial and neutral in all proceedings. I give everyone an opportunity to be heard and I provide equal access to justice for all. I treat everyone in my courtroom with dignity and respect and expect that the lawyers, parties and witnesses will do the same. I give each case the time, attention and detail it deserves and I issue well-reasoned and through opinions in a timely and efficient manner. I am even-tempered, measured and diplomatic. I work hard to reach the fair and just result in each case.
I do not believe it is either beneficial or detrimental.
My primary concern is to help improve lives while keeping our communities safe. In doing so, I would like focus more on identifying and treating mental health issues within the criminal justice system.
The greatest opportunity for the Ohio legal system is to place more of an emphasis on identifying and treating mental health issues. There are a number of counties in Ohio that have already implemented a mental health specialty court docket to address these issues. The time is ripe for us to continue to investigate these specialty courts and for each county to determine whether a mental heath specialty court docket is appropriate for their jurisdiction.
Yes. Currently, I enjoy presiding over trials and I would like to do so for several more years. However, I can envision running for the court of appeals or even the Ohio Supreme Court at some point in the future. I am keenly interested in complex legal issues and I enjoy legal research and writing. I also enjoy preparing, delivering and presiding over oral arguments.
Yes. The Columbus Bar Association, Judicial Screening Committee, is comprised of many well-known and highly-esteemed attorneys in the community. I have had personal and professional experiences with many of those attorneys, either as a civil litigation associate, an assistant prosecuting attorney or a judge. I believe the rating I received as "Highly Recommended" is reflective of those positive experiences.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
2021 Elections
External links
|
Candidate Franklin County Municipal Court |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ The Columbus Dispatch, "Assistant Franklin County prosecutor will become Common Pleas Court judge," March 4, 2019
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Governor of Ohio, "Governor DeWine Appoints Three to Fill Judicial Vacancies," March 4, 2019
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 18, 2020
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on October 5, 2021
Ohio courts
Federal courts:
Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio
State courts:
Ohio Supreme Court • Ohio District Courts of Appeal • Ohio Courts of Common Pleas • Ohio County Courts • Ohio Municipal Courts • Ohio Court of Claims
State resources:
Courts in Ohio • Ohio judicial elections • Judicial selection in Ohio
