I am telling my neighbors and friends to vote for Susan Solle for Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge. I have her yard sign in my yard. Solle has the proven experience, maturity and temperament that will make her a wise and fair judge.

Voters have a choice for Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge — between Susan Solle and K. George Kordalis. The responsibilities for this position: To preside at trials of both civil and criminal cases; to supervise the jury commission, grand jury, and other departments of the court. Term of office: 6 years.

One reason Solle gets my vote is she is has deep and significant experience in the legal profession. Solle is 51 years old and has been practicing law since 1999. Kordalis is 32 years old and has been practicing law since 2012. Both are graduates of U.D. Law school.

Kordalis writes on his website: “I was born and raised in Montgomery County. I Graduated from Centerville High School and continued on to graduate from The Ohio State University. After college, I returned to Dayton to attend The University of Dayton School of Law. Upon graduating Law School, I started my own law firm, Kordalis Law Office, LLC. I have built a successful practice representing members of the community in criminal and civil matters in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court as well as many other Courts throughout Ohio.”

Solle writes: “Graduated high school from Kettering Fairmont, 1986; BA from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, GA, Magna Cum Laude, 1994; JD from University of Dayton School of Law, Cum Laude, 1999;  Experience Practicing civil litigation attorney for 18 years, the past 16 at Dinsmore & Shohl. Staff attorney at 2nd District Court of Appeals 1999-2002. Law clerk for Montgomery County Common Pleas Court 1998-1999. Insurance Claim Representative with Prudential Insurance Company 1987-1996. Typed Montgomery County Court transcripts from 1987-2002.”

Solle was unopposed in the Democratic Primary and won with 26,980 votes.  Kordalis was unopposed in the Republican Primary and won with 21,877 votes.

Solle ran for election to the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas in 2014. She received 46.1 percent of the vote, but was defeated by incumbent Judge Dennis J. Adkins. Solle is an attorney at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, helping people with Business Litigation issues. Dinsmore & Shohl LLP has an office in Dayton, Ohio, serving the local community. Solle was selected to Rising Stars for 2006 – 2007. Rising Stars is an exclusive list of top-rated attorneys in specific practice areas who were chosen after thorough evaluation of numerous criteria.

K. George Kordalis is an attorney providing legal services covering Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense: DUI / DWI and Personal Injury – General: Plaintiff and Family Law. Kordalis was selected to Rising Stars for 2020 – 2021.

Susan Solle

List your judicial experience (Courts and Years)

Vote411 Voter Guide gave candidates the opportunity to tell in their own words about their experience and motivation:

Susan D. Solle: “I served as an Acting Judge in Montgomery County Municipal Court from 2010-2014 handling misdemeanor criminal, felony arraignments and small civil cases. I worked as a staff attorney for the Honorable Judge Brogan on the Second District Court Appeals from 1999-2002, writing decisions for criminal, civil, domestic relations, juvenile and probate appeals from all of the courts in six counties. I assisted the Honorable Judge David Sunderland of the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court as a law clerk while in law school from 1998-1999, also writing decisions in all areas of the law handled by the Court. I interned with the Montgomery County Domestic Relations Court during law school in 1998.”

K. George Kordalis: “Currently I have not had experience as a judicial officer. Nonetheless, I know that I possess the experience, work-ethic, and temperament that is needed to be Common Pleas Judge.”

 Why are you running for this particular court seat?

K. George Kordalis

Susan D. Solle: “The Honorable Judge Gorman, whose is retiring at the end of this year, is someone I have looked up to since I was in law school and working in the Common Pleas Court. I am running for her open seat because I am the right person to continue her tradition of excellence in the Court. Practicing in various courts outside of Montgomery County, I have encountered too many jurists who do not have the experience, temperament or dedication to effectively handle their cases. I have all three. I have the experience and intelligence to fully grasp every case that will be litigated in my courtroom. I also have the right temperament to treat each litigant and attorney who appears before me with the respect and kindness they deserve, while still maintaining the necessary strength and control. Finally, I understand the demands of this position, and will work hard to ensure that every person or entity appearing in my court will receive the attention necessary to bring their matter to timely and proper resolution. This county deserves a judge who is experienced and dedicated, and I am the candidate who will bring these qualities to the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court.”

K. George Kordalis: “I am running because Montgomery County needs judges with experience, that are hardworking, and that have the right temperament to get things done fairly, consistently and efficiently. I pride myself on being able to listen to both sides fairly and to think carefully before speaking and making decisions.

I believe it is important to have experienced, knowledgeable judges to handle the extensive and diverse Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas caseload. I also believe that judges should promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary without regard to a person’s race, gender, or other personal characteristics.

In private practice I have always attempted to treat everyone fairly and with courtesy and respect. If elected, I will ensure this occurs in my courtroom. My wife, Kasey Kordalis, and myself are lifelong residents of this community. This community has given my family so much and I will work hard to make sure that Montgomery County remains a great place to live.”

So, there you have it. Kordalis says that we need “judges with experience, that are hardworking, and that have the right temperament to get things done fairly, consistently and efficiently.” I agree. That is why I’m voting for Susan Solle.

Solle is an obviously better choice. She has the experience, maturity and temperament that we want in our judges. I’m thinking most voters will agree with me that, for the position of judge, citizens will be better served by a person with more experience and age than Kordalis has to offer. Kordalis seems a nice young man. He is getting his name out there at age 32. I’m betting that he has a bright future in the Republican Party. But, clearly, in this election, the better choice for who should be honored and trusted with the position of judge, by far, is Susan Solle.

FiveThirtyEight shows that Mike Turner votes according to Donald Trump’s  dictates 94.4% of the time.  According to the FiveThirtyEight analysis, because Trump won OH-10 by 7.3%, a representative for the district would be expected to vote with Trump most of the time (68.7%) — but not, practically, all of the time (94.4%).

I’m wondering why Turner has gone over-board in voting according to the wishes of Donald Trump? Has he been afraid of losing the Republican Primary to an even more faithful Trumpster?

The FiveThirtyEight  site breaks down all of the votes:

I just made a $25 contribution to the Mark Fogel Campaign, so I’m feeling entitled to start giving Mark advice.

From Mark’s website: “As a young man, my need to serve and desire to fly meant only one thing: going to the Air Force Academy and I was honored to be nominated to attend by Congressman Tony Hall and US Senator John Glenn. At the Academy I learned first-hand what hard work, leadership, and integrity truly mean. Beyond academics, I ran track, was elected a student leader, and became a peer counselor and advocate in the University’s sexual assault prevention organization.
With hard work and the support of my peers, I graduated cum laude and earned a spot at Air Force pilot training. As a member of the first graduating class to serve after 9/11, the next 12 years as an active duty Air Force officer were the honor of a lifetime. While stationed overseas as an F-15 pilot, I deployed multiple times throughout Europe and the Middle East, having achieved my dream of flying and serving my country.”

Mark —

I am pitching in $25 for your campaign and I’d love to see you win District 06.

I believe that the key to your winning the district is found in your website. You make these declarations:

1. “With the right leadership, we can turn the tide and create the New Ohio we deserve!”
2. “I am running for State Senate because I want to bring experienced servant leadership to our state politics.”

I believe developing these declarations with a specific action plan is the key to your winning this election.

You are saying that the “right leadership” is “servant leadership” and that, whereas, our current political leadership is not sufficient to resolve the needs and to answer the challenges and crises of our time, servant leadership will be successful and will turn the tide.

That is a powerful claim and the more that you can help voters grasp the meaning of these words —  and, the more that voters understand and believe these declarations — the more likely it is that you will flip this district.

You need a plan. Without a plan, you are simply articulating political speech, as is expected of most candidates.

You can show that you are the exceptional candidate, and, you can flip the vote of thoughtful Republican leaning voters, by giving a well-thought-out answer to this question:

Mr Fogel, please explain what you mean by servant leadership and please explain your plan for using servant leadership in such a way that, in District 06, we “turn the tide and create the New Ohio we deserve.”

This is a great writing prompt. I’m feeling inspired to attempt to prepare an extended answer for discussion — asking for Mark’s response — and, tying in with ideas developed in the Democratic Primary by Albert Griggs:

• “We Are All In This Together” — Let’s Use This Insight To Transform Politics And To Build Dynamic Civic Communities
• Fellow Democrats: This Pandemic Is A Wake-Up Call — We Must Offer Leadership That Will Engage An Awakened Citizenry