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LWV League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area Education Fund

Smart Voter
Hamilton County, OH November 6, 2007 Election
Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues
Judge; Hamilton County Municipal Court; District 1; 6 Year Term


The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of the Cincinnati Area and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Qualifications, Addressing priorities, Adminstration

Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest.


1. What are your qualifications for office? (50 word limit)

Answer from Dwane K. Mallory:

My professional life has been devoted to serving the public. I have a diverse legal background I have served as a fair and tough prosecutor, a passionate defense attorney, and an aggressive litigator. I have tried both civil and criminal jury trials as lead counsel.

Answer from John H. Burlew:

Current sitting Judge. Past President of Cincinnati Bar Association. Past Chairman - Ohio Civil Rights Commission. Lawyer of the Year - 1998. Argued over 20 cases in the Ohio Supreme Court. Current presiding Judge of Municipal Court. Past Big Brother of the Year Award. Guardian of the Constitution Award Recipient - 1988


2. What plans do you have to address your top three priorities? (100 word limit)

Answer from Dwane K. Mallory:

We are most likely as ordinary citizens to be impacted by municipal court more so than any other court. I have always been concerned with the fundamental principles of fairness and justice for everyone. If elected I plan to interpret the law fairly and to treat all citizens with dignity and respect. Ultimately that is what citizens expect from a judge. I believe I will meet and exceed these expectations. My legal and professional experience has prepared me for this task.

Answer from John H. Burlew:

I plan to continue to do what I do now. I treat parties with respect, listen carefully to what they have to say and give honest discussions. I treat every person with consideration and decide matters promptly. Please see http://www.JohnBurlew.com for a more complete statement.


3. What specific changes would you like to see in the administration of justice in Hamilton County? (150 word limit)

Answer from John H. Burlew:

I can only affect those areas which I have control over. I treat the persons that work with me with respect and dignity and demand that they treat others the same way. Judges cannot be right on every case but they can be fair, just and equitable in every case. I practiced law for 25 years and could not understand why a Courthouse and Courtroom should not be a place of dignity and respect. I feel the same way as a Judge today. I want the Courthouse and Courtroom to be a place to be respected by all citizens.

Answer from Dwane K. Mallory:

The change I would like to see in the administration of justice in Hamilton County is the timely administration of justice. Hamilton County is convenient to all except those who work in the court system. Generally court begins at 9:00 A.M. I would like to see some cases that are not scheduled for trial (i.e., pretrial matters that do not require the criminal defendant's presence) to begin before 9:00 A.M. The prior commencement of pretrial matters should alleviate the large number of cases that are scheduled for 9:00 A.M.


Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply for each question. Direct references to opponents are not permitted.

The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.


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Created: December 19, 2007 17:42 PST
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