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MIDDLETON — Vying for a new judgeship on the 12th District Court of Appeals in November are Fairfield attorney Bruce Carter, a Democrat, and Clermont County Common Pleas Judge Robert Ringland, a Republican.

The Middetown-based court serves Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Madison, Preble and Warren counties.

Carter, 52, has been an attorney since 1991 when he graduated from the University of Akron School of Law and is licensed to practice in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. Before his legal career, the Dayton native received a bachelors and masters degree in journalism from Marshall University and served in the U.S. Navy as a photographer. In addition, he also taught high school before becoming an attorney.

He has represented injured union workers nationwide for the majority of his legal career. Carter said the current court of appeals has judges with the same background. He wants to bring a fresh, diverse perspective to the court.

"I think that what the court needs is some change and different input," Carter said.

As a former teacher and journalist, Carter said he has a love of writing and could use that skill to write opinions with out the legal ese so that everyone can understand it. He also would like to see the appeals court "travel" to other counties to hear cases.

Ringland, 62, is a graduate of Ohio State University and received his law degree in 1970 from the University of Cincinnati.

He has served as Clermont County Common Pleas Judge since 1983 and prior to that was a defense attorney and assistant prosecutor.

Ringland said he is the best person for the job because he has the most experience and has handled all types of cases in his legal career.

While he is not critical of the current court, he has seen opinions come from other appellate courts that seemed totally different from the case as it was tried in the lower court.

"In some cases, the facts were molded to fit their decision," Ringland said. Appeals judges must read trial transcripts and do the research before making a decision, he added.

Ringland said the appeals court has an effect on the lives of many. In many cases it is the court of last resort because the Ohio Supreme County takes very few cases.

"I have a good reputation for making scholar decision. I am the most published trial judge in the state of Ohio. But I also have a reputation for having common sense," Ringland said.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2168 or lpack@coxohio.com.