JUDGE JULIE A. EDWARDS
JUDGE EDWARDS has been serving on the Fifth District Court of Appeals since February 10, 1999. She was a Family Court Judge in the Stark County, Ohio, Court of Common Pleas from January, 1989 to February, 1999. Prior to becoming a Judge, Julie Edwards was Chief Referee (nka Magistrate) with the Family Court. Judge Edwards has also served as Chief of the Juvenile Division in the Stark County Prosecutor's Office and is former legal counsel to the Stark County Bureau of Support. Judge Edwards is a former President of the Ohio Association of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and was the first woman President of that organization. She is the former Chairman of the Medical/Legal Issues Committee of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges. Judge Edwards is the editor of a publication entitled, Child Development, A Judge's Reference Guide. She has lectured at statewide judicial conferences.
DEBORAH ROLAND is a Staff Attorney for Judge Edwards. She is a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Chicago and Ohio State University College of Law, has served as a Judicial Attorney for Summit County Court of Common Pleas and was an associate at a law firm in Cleveland.
KRISTINE BEARD is a Staff Attorney for Judge Edwards. She graduated from Clarkson University (B.A. and B.S.), University of Akron (B.S.) and University of Akron School of Law (J.D.). Kris serves of Counsel for the Ohio Supreme Court Juvenile Rules Committee. Kris was a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Judge James R. Unger, Stark County Court of Common Pleas. She was also an Assistant Stark County Prosecutor, Juvenile Division, and Chief of Stark County Prosecutor's Office. Kris was in a solo general private practice in areas which included bankruptcy, juvenile law, domestic relations, criminal law, personal injury, probate, and appellate practice, and Of Counsel for Herbert & Benson, before joining the staff of the Court of Appeals.
MARGUERITE NICHOLSON is Judge Edwards' Judicial Administrative Assistant. Marguerite began her legal career in 1992 with the Stark County Family Court. She is a graduate of Sandy Valley High School.