CLEVELAND — Following the deaths of two Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas judges, the Ohio Supreme Court announced who will temporarily fill those seats. 

What You Need To Know

  • Two Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas judges have died in the last week

  • Judge Nancy McDonnell died on Sept. 28 and Judge Joseph Russo died on Oct. 2

  • Two former Court of Common Pleas judges will preside over their dockets

  • Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine will be tasked with appointing new judges through the end of next year

The Ohio Supreme Court said that Judge Timothy McGinty will preside over the docket of Judge Nancy McDonnell and Judge Richard McMonagle will preside over the docket of Judge Joseph Russo. McDonnell died Sept. 28 after 25 years on the bench. Russo died on Saturday after serving the court for 20 years. 

McGinty and McMonagle will remain on the bench until Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine appoints replacements. The two seats will be up for election in November 2022 to fill the remaining years on McDonnell’s and Russo’s terms. McDonnell won re-election last year and her term was set to expire at the end of 2026. Russo won re-election in 2018 and his seat expired at the end of 2024. 

Both McGinty and McMonagle have served on the bench in the past. McGinty was a member of the Court of Common Pleas for two decades prior to his 2012 retirement. McMonagle spent 25 years on the bench.

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