Your feedback ensures we stay focused on the facts that matter to you most—take our survey.
Mary Jane Trapp
Mary Jane Trapp (Democratic Party) was a judge of the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals. She assumed office on February 10, 2019. She left office on February 9, 2025.
Trapp (Democratic Party) ran for election for judge of the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals. She won in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Education
Judge Trapp received her undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College in 1978 and received her law degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1981.[1]
Career
Before her election to the court of appeals, Judge Trapp worked as a trial and appellate lawyer in various Ohio and Pennsylvania courts for 25 years. She also worked as a mediator and arbitrator for Common Pleas courts and a guardian ad litem for a domestic relations court. She was elected to the court of appeals in 2006. She also served on many law associations and committees.[1]
Awards and associations
- 2011 Presidential Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Delivery of Pro Bono Legal Service, Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation[2]
Elections
2024
Mary Jane Trapp did not file to run for re-election.
2018
General election
General election for Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
Mary Jane Trapp defeated Casey O'Brien in the general election for Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Mary Jane Trapp (D) | 53.8 | 134,620 | |
| Casey O'Brien (R) | 46.2 | 115,425 | ||
| Total votes: 250,045 | |||
 = 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
Democratic primary for Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
Mary Jane Trapp advanced from the Democratic primary for Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Mary Jane Trapp | 100.0 | 41,516 | |
| Total votes: 41,516 | |||
| = 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
Republican primary for Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals
Casey O'Brien advanced from the Republican primary for Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals on May 8, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Casey O'Brien | 100.0 | 42,699 | |
| Total votes: 42,699 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
Selection method
The judges of the Ohio District Courts of Appeals are selected through partisan primary elections followed by nonpartisan general elections.[3] Courts of appeals candidates are chosen in their respective appellate districts.[3] In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement. The appointee serves until the next general election taking place 40 or more days after the vacancy occurred. If re-elected, the judge serves the remainder of his or her predecessor's unexpired term.[3] In 2007, Governor Ted Strickland issued an executive order creating a judicial appointment recommendation panel to assist in making new appointments. The panel evaluates applicants and advises the governor, but the governor is not bound to the panel's recommendations.[3]
Qualifications
To serve on the court, a judge must be:
- a district resident;
- at least six years in the practice of law; and
- under the age of 70.[3]
Selection of the chief judge
The chief judge of the Ohio District Courts of Appeal is chosen by peer vote and serves for one year.[3]
2012
Trapp was defeated by Colleen O'Toole in the general election on November 6, receiving 48.85% of the vote.[4][5]
- See also: Ohio judicial elections, 2012
2010
Trapp ran for a seat on the Ohio Supreme Court and was defeated by incumbent Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger in the general election.[6][7][8]
Trapp ran as a Democrat, and was critical of the current all-Republican makeup of the Supreme Court. As she told the Cleveland Plain Dealer, "People in Ohio have told me that they have lost confidence in our court and they recognize that there are no Democrats on that court."[9]
- See also: Ohio judicial elections, 2010
| Candidate | Incumbent | Seat | Party | Primary % | Election % |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Judith Ann Lanzinger  |
Yes | Term commencing January 1, 2011 | Republican | 100.0% | 56.6% | |
| Mary Jane Trapp | No | Term commencing January 1, 2011 | Democratic | 100.0% | 43.4% |
See also
- Ohio District Courts of Appeal
- Ohio judicial elections
- Courts in Ohio
- State judicial elections, 2018
- Ohio intermediate appellate court elections, 2018
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbio - ↑ Ohio Bar Association, Press Release: "Judge Mary Jane Trapp recognized for outstanding leadership," May 4, 2011
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 American Judicature Society, "Methods of Judicial Selection: Ohio," archived October 3, 2014
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, Official Election Results, 11/6/2012: Judge of Court of Appeals
- ↑ Trumbull County Board of Elections, Democratic Primary Candidates
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, Live Unofficial Election Results
- ↑ "Appeals court judge seeks Supreme Court seat" Business First of Columbus, September 16, 2009
- ↑ "Major Ohio Judicial Election on Horizon?" Gavel Grab, September 17, 2009
- ↑ "Appeals court Judge Mary Jane Trapp, a candidate for Ohio Supreme Court, criticizes its all-Republican makeup" Cleveland Plain Dealer, September 20, 2009
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals 2019-2025 |
Succeeded by Scott Lynch (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals 2007-2013 |
Succeeded by Colleen O'Toole |
| ||||||||||
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
