Justice Mary DeGenaro visits Coshocton County Courthouse
Ohio Supreme Court Justice Mary DeGenaro visited the Coshocton County Courthouse on Tuesday, Aug. 28 to speak with Judge Robert Batchelor and his staff. She plans to visit all 88 counties in Ohio to discuss their local judicial system.
COSHOCTON – Justice Mary DeGenaro visited the Coshocton County Courthouse on Tuesday, Aug. 28 to talk with Judge Robert Batchelor, his magistrate and courthouse staff and to tour the courthouse. DeGenaro was impressed with the renovations that were completed a few years ago.
“It’s a very emotional and difficult situation for families when they come here,” said DeGenaro. “They need to come to a place where they know their situation is respected. They’re showing proper dignity and respect to their crisis and family in their difficult time. I’m sure it gives people a lot of peace when they’re in that kind of a place. The community should be proud and take comfort knowing they have a place like this.”
DeGenaro also spoke to the rotary club in Coshocton during her visit to the county.
“I want to thank rotary for their commitment to the community and the extra time they put in and remind them what a good court system we have in this county and what a good job the judge and the court staff does in this service,” said DeGenaro.
DeGenaro had a private meeting with Batchelor and thanked him and his staff for their dedication to public service and being an impartial arbitrator when trying to solve public disputes.
Before being appointed by Gov. Kasich to become the 159th justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, DeGenaro served nearly 17 years as a judge of the Seventh District Court of Appeals in Youngstown.
“I feel very strongly about not just the 17 years of expertise that I can fill a void on the court,” she said. “I have a real passion for public service, and the work I do off the bench. To be a voice for things important to Ohioans and their daily lives.”
She is also a huge supporter of drug dockets and served on an alcohol and drug addiction board.
“They are a great motivator when someone enters the criminal justice system for the first time and they finally come to the point where they realize they need to get their life back and ready to enter into recovery,” said DeGenaro.
She also has a passion for veterans, mental health advocacy, literacy and libraries, and also wants to be a voice for civility.
“Our daily lives are becoming more and more uncivilized,” she said. “I see it in grocery stores or driving down the street. I want to be a voice to bring people on opposing sides to come together. We can still have our own views and listen to each other and come to a compromise. If we could just open up and keep an open mind and not focus on thinking the other person is a bad person because they think this way.”
In her spare time, DeGenaro enjoys beekeeping.
“It’s great for the environment and beekeeping is growing in popularity,” she said. “It’s a great hobby and you get honey to share.”
DeGenaro had traveled to more than 70 counties when she visited Coshocton and she hoped to visit all 88 counties to have conversations with county judges.
Category: Government
