Elect Becker as judge for Trumbull common pleas | News, sports, jobs

Chris Becker and Sarah Thomas Kovoor are vying to be the next Trumbull County Common Pleas Court judge. The winner of this race will replace Judge Andrew D. Logan, who cannot run for re-election due to Ohio’s age limit for jurors.

The candidates are no strangers to local courtrooms, but if elected they would both be on the bench in their first roles.

Becker has tried more cases than any attorney in Trumbull County over the past 25 years. He told this newspaper’s editors that one of the reasons he is running is because Trumbull County — with Logan’s forced retirement at the end of his current term — will have recently lost more than 75 years of legal experience. Judge Peter J. Kontos and Judge W. Wyatt McKay also left the court in recent years.

Becker said he has learned from all three cases while arguing cases for them over the years.

Kovoor was a colleague of Becker from 1996 to 2001, when both were assistant prosecutors under Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins. Kovoor has worked in private practice as a criminal and civil attorney for the past 23 years. She told the editors that she positions herself as an outsider.

‘I’m not part of the system’ said Kovoor. “I will bring an independent, unbiased approach to the bank.”

She said she believes in fairness and is aware of the growing debate over judicial reform.

Another point Kovoor highlighted was Becker’s history of social media posts, including some with courtroom photos of defendants. She said Becker’s posts should disqualify him from the bench.

“It is a concern when someone who wants to become a judge has been involved in social media controversies that discredit people,” said Kovoor. “As a judge, your impartiality and judgment are critical, and that type of behavior can undermine public trust.”

Becker’s conduct was reviewed by legal counsel at the Ohio Supreme Court after a complaint was filed by a California man.

In a letter dated March 31, 2021, Assistant Disciplinary Counsel Adam P. Bessler stated that Becker did not violate the Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct. The state body thus rejected a complaint from Tim Tolka and closed the case. But Bessler stated in a letter to Tolka that Becker had brought with him “Shame and shame on the legal profession.”

Becker discussed the issue during his endorsement interview.

“It was not professional and I have taken steps to ensure I am more careful.” he said. “I took diversity and inclusion classes at Purdue University, and I worked on that.”

Becker also said he has largely withdrawn from social media other than campaigning and plans to avoid it after the election.

That’s a good idea, both in terms of appearance and usability. Insensitive and offensive social media posts have never engaged anyone, but they have attracted more than a few people.

Watkins endorsed Becker during that controversy and endorsed his first assistant prosecutor in this race.

Like Kovoor, Becker would come to the bench after more than two decades working exclusively on one side of the law, and like his opponents, he said experience will be an asset if elected.

Becker told the editors that he supports alternatives to incarceration, especially the Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison program, which allows probation options for low-level offenders. He also expressed interest in running the drug court, which Logan founded in Trumbull County.

“The best thing that can happen is that I never see these people again, not because they are locked up, but because they have turned their lives around,” Becker said. “Judge Logan created this program and I think it has done wonders for the community. I would be honored to continue that legacy.”

We believe that Becker deserves the opportunity to make the transition from the Public Prosecution Service to the court. Kovoor also clearly knows the law, but a large part of her case for getting elected seemed to involve presenting herself as an alternative to Becker.

But we found Becker to be contrite about his social media controversy and expect him to keep his word about showing better judgment in the future.

Becker can rest assured that just as people watched the extrajudicial behavior of an assistant prosecutor, a judge will come under even greater scrutiny.