Tim BotosCanton Repository
CANTON ‒ Voters will elect three judges to Stark County Common Pleas Court benches — with one already a guaranteed winner.
The sure thing is Rosemarie Hall, because she's unopposed in the general election, which concludes with in-person voting on Nov. 5. The 66-year-old will get a third consecutive six-year term as a Family Court division judge; she initially was appointed by then-Ohio Gov. John Kasich in 2011.
The two contested races:
- A new judge will join Hall and Michelle Cordova (elected two years ago) in Family Court. The court's chief magistrate, Matt Kreitzer, squares off with Canton City Prosecutor Katie Erchick Gilbert. The incumbent, Jim James, retires at the end of this year.
- In the general division, incumbent Natalie Haupt seeks a second six-year term in her battle with veteran private practice attorney Dan Funk.
"This (Family Court) is the only court where I would want to be a judge," said Kreitzer.
Erchick Gilbert said her bid was prompted by juvenile crime cases she's been involved with as a city prosecutor.
"It's just insane. ... I keep asking myself, 'What is going on in this community?'" she said.
In the other race, Haupt said she's proven herself.
"I don't think it's a good place for on-the-job training," she said.
Her opponent, Funk, is a former Jackson High state wrestling champ and coach. He said his 30 years experience, first as an assistant city prosecutor, then in private practice, has primed him for the seat.
"I've been wanting to do this ... to give back to my community," he said.
When voters make their choices, they won't find the words "Democrat" or "Republican" below the name of any of these judicial candidates. Although party affiliations were added to the ballot for higher court races in recent years, common pleas candidates are not identified by party.
The idea is to promote judicial independence.
Still, their politics are no secret.
After all, the five candidates got to this point by first running in, and winning party primaries in March. Hall, Kreitzer and Funk all advanced from Republican primaries; Haupt and Erchick Gilbert from Democratic primaries.
The base salary for judges next year is $163,792.
Matt Kreitzer vs. Katie Erchick Gilbert
This is the 51-year-old Kreitzer's second attempt at Family Court judge. In 2022, he ran against Cordova in the general election. She knocked him off by winning 55% of the vote.
With 17 years working in Family Court — including 10 as a magistrate — Kreitzer pointed out he's the only candidate with family law experience.
The court, with a docket that includes domestic relations and juvenile crime cases, is near and dear for personal reasons, too.
"I grew up in a home of poverty ... with domestic and alcohol abuse," Kreitzer said.
Then, as a 13-year-old in Minerva, he moved in with the family of a friend. A blue-collar, hard-working family. They all ate dinner together at the table. He learned what a "normal family" was supposed to look like.
"It helped me understand that not every family was like mine," said Kreitzer, whose wife, Diane, is a nurse practitioner. The couple have four adult children and four dogs in their blended family.
The 44-year-old Erchick Gilbert grew up in Alliance. She returned to the area after graduating from Cooley Law School in Michigan. She lives in Canton with her husband, Bill, their 8-year-old daughter and a golden retriever, Biscuit.
It's her first bid for elected office.
Erchick Gilbert said her prosecutor experience and her passion for domestic violence survivors will be valuable, though she said voters have two good choices.
"It's not about criticizing the court," she explained. "My opponent is a great guy. If he was elected, he would do a great job."
Erchick Gilbert, though, does have one beef with Kreitzer.
Some of his campaign signs identify him as a Republican (a likely advantage in a county that's leaned red in the past and is expected to again, with the presidential race at the top of the ticket). It's completely legal, and is ethically permitted, according to the state's Code of Judicial Conduct.
Erchick Gilbert knows all that, but said races for judge should be independent and without any influence.
Kreitzer said one of the first questions voters ask is whether he's a Republican or a Democrat. He said he's not going to hide from his party affiliation. And he pointed out those who agree to place a yard sign have a choice of two models: one which identifies him as Republican or one which does not.
"Most people have asked for one with it," said Kreitzer.
Kreitzer, who completed law school at the University of Akron, has also worked in private practice and as staff counsel for the Stark County Public Defender's Office and local child support enforcement agency.
He said he's learned through the years.
"I've always been impressed with judges who are understanding," Kreitzer said.
Judges who listen, who are calm and cool, who give and get respect.
Erchick Gilbert agreed.
"Being on time, being cordial, treating everybody with kindness ... you want to be able to have an open mind," she said, in describing the qualities of a good judge.
Kreizer said the court's current philosophy on juvenile justice is "try to provide the right service, to the right juvenile, at the right time." That means weighing such factors as risk to the community against the needs of the juvenile — while minimizing or eliminating the chance the juvenile offends again.
Natalie Haupt vs. Dan Funk
The 47-year-old Haupt won handily six years ago, with 61% of the vote against James Mathews.
"I've spent my whole career in public service," said the married mother of two.
She graduated summa cum laude from The Ohio State University before earning her law degree at Case Western Reserve University. She began her career as a public defender in Portage County, then as a magistrate for more than 15 years in Stark County Common Pleas Court, before taking the bench.
"I love the law," Haupt said, adding that she believes she has developed a reputation of being thoughtful and fair.
"I respect Natalie; there's no ill will," said Funk.
However, the 59-year-old said his multi-faceted background has shaped him into judicial material.
Funk was Jackson High's first state champion when he won a 1983 wrestling title at 167 pounds. He wrestled at Northwestern University and coached at his high school alma mater. He was a Canton prosecutor for a few years. Then, he joined a local law firm (Baker, Dublikar, Beck, Wiley & Mathews) where he's been a partner for 25 years. He's handled a variety of cases, including complex corporate litigation.
"Some judges are plaintiff-oriented and some are defense-oriented," Funk said. "And you can pick up on that right away."
The best judges, he said, are open-minded.
"Obviously you have to be fair and impartial ... logical and calm," Funk said.
He said he's also served stints as a paid mediator in civil litigation, where he championed compromises.
Haupt said she has good judicial temperament, though she has no problem giving a "mom look" to anyone who dares disrupt her courtroom with an unsilenced cellphone, for instance.
"Each case is different. ... I learn every day to continue to hone my craft," she said.
Haupt served as the court’s administrative judge in 2023 and as presiding judge in 2020. She said she's presided over specialized dockets, such as domestic violence and drug cases.
"One of my goals ... is to collaborate with victim services," she said.
Reach Tim at 330-580-8333 or tim.botos@cantonrep.com.On X: @tbotosREP
