Greenfield native seeks spot on Fourth District Court of Appeals bench

A candidate running for a seat on the Ohio Fourth District Court of Appeals has ties to Highland County, particularly the Greenfield area. 

Steve Newman, a 1972 graduate of McClain High School, said Highland County is still close to him and his family. 

"I was born in Highland County and lived there until 1976, when I moved to Ross County, where I've resided for the past 35 years," Newman told The Highland County Press. "I do have two sisters who continue to reside in Highland County, one in Greenfield and one in Hillsboro."

Newman obtained his bachelor's degree from Ohio University, master's degrees from Marshall University and the University of Findlay and attended Capital Law School. 

Newman faces a primary against fellow Republicans Lori Prichard Harding, Leonard F. Holzapfel and Patricia Sanders. The winner will face the winner of the Democratic primary between Marie Hoover and Tom Spetnagel. The current office holder, Judge Roger Kline, is not seeking another term.  

Incumbent Judge William Harsha is running unopposed. 

The winners will join Judges Matthew McFarland and Peter Abele on the bench. 

The counties that make up the fourth district include Adams, Gallia, Highland, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pickaway, Pike, Ross, Scioto, Vinton and Washington counties. 

"I am well-qualified," Newman said. "I have been practicing for 16 years, and prior to opening my own office, I was employed at the Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant. I worked in internal audits and compliance. When you look at it, the court of appeals are the auditors of the court system. They do not create laws. They simply review the decisions of the trial courts, and once they read the facts, they determine if the proper laws were applied and the proper decision was reached. They are the auditors." 

Newman said that he hopes when voters make their choice for the March 6 primary that they will look at his experience. 

He is a former solicitor for the village of South Salem and is a former adjunct professor of environmental law.