(COLUMBUS – June 25, 2018) – On behalf of its more than 27,000 members, The Ohio Society of CPAs has announced its endorsement of Justice Mary DeGenaro and Judge Craig Baldwin for Ohio Supreme Court.
OSCPA’s 19-member Statewide Endorsement Screening Committee and 15-member Executive Board separately evaluated the candidates before unanimously endorsing DeGenaro and Baldwin.
“Justice Mary DeGenaro, who brings over 17 years of appellate experience to the bench, has proven she is committed to interpreting laws fairly and with consideration of the needs for predictability and clarity when issuing opinions,” said OSCPA President and CEO Scott Wiley, CAE. “A steady hand is critical as the Ohio Supreme Court decides on important issues that directly affect Ohio’s economy and the businesses that operate here.”
Prior to her Ohio Supreme Court appointment, DeGenaro served on the Seventh District Court of Appeals and spent nearly 15 years in private practice.
“With 26 years of legal experience, Judge Craig Baldwin has demonstrated a commitment to impartiality and a recognition for clear, consistent decisions, consistent with OSCPA’s longstanding goals for jurists. He clearly understands that the Court’s decisions can have a significant impact not only on named parties but on thousands of Ohio businesses and those they employ,” Wiley said. “OSCPA appreciates Baldwin’s emphasis that the Court’s role is to interpret laws, not make laws. His track record shows that he will be a thoughtful, commonsense member of the Ohio Supreme Court.”
Prior to his 2013 appointment to the Fifth District Court of Appeals and subsequent elections to the position, Baldwin served on the Licking County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, and spent decades in private practice, representing small business owners, among others.
Members of the seven-member Ohio Supreme Court are elected on a non-partisan basis for six-year terms. DeGenaro is running to keep her seat, which was vacated due to the early retirement of Justice William O’Neill, and Baldwin is running for the seat left open due to the impending retirement of Justice Terrence O’Donnell. The Court’s decisions can have a significant impact on Ohio’s economy, health care, education and more.