Each of the Republican candidates has experience serving as assistant prosecutor, while Tompkins has 26 years experience in private practice. The winner of this fall’s election will replace Nick Selvaggio, who will run unopposed as judge of the Champaign County Common Pleas Court.
Weithman served in the Champaign County prosecutor’s office early in her career, where she handled all juvenile cases along with some criminal and civil work. She has also served as village solicitor for St. Paris and Woodstock, among other duties throughout her career. She said she has practiced law in the county for more than 30 years, and said the wide range of work experiences will give her a good understanding of the county’s needs.
“I think I bring a lot of experience from a lot of different areas,” Weithman said.
Weithman said it will be important to manage several changes in how the office operates in the next few years, including continuing to implement electronic filing, which will soon be required in Ohio courts.
Talebi began his career with the Champaign County Prosecutor’s Office in 1998, where he served as an assistant prosecutor. He has also served as a past president of the Champaign County Bar Association and was a legal counsel for St. Paris, among other responsibilities.
Talebi stressed his relationships with local law enforcement agencies and said he is the only candidate who has experience working in the current prosecutor’s office.
Talebi said the county has seen a rise in drug-related offenses, including theft and violent crime in recent years. Despite the additional case load, he said the office will have to be efficient despite fewer resources.
“The budget crunch is going to be a consistent cause of concern not just in the prosecutor’s office, but across all county offices,” Talebi said.
Robinson-Bond noted her experience both as a local prosecutor in Licking County and at the state level, where she worked for the Ohio Attorney General’s Office specializing in prosecuting such crimes as domestic violence and child abuse.
Robinson-Bond said the county increasingly is facing criminal cases related to heroin abuse and said the budget will be a factor as well. She thinks her experience at both the state and local level will help her in prosecuting those cases.
“I’ve developed a statewide reputation for my abilities and my knowledge, and I want to continue helping my community in dealing with these issues,” Robinson-Bond said.
Democrat Ronald Tompkins has practiced law for 26 years. He said the next prosecutor will have to be creative to manage both the budget and the issue of keeping costs down at the Tri-County Jail.
“We’re going to have to do more with less, and that’s going to be a real challenge in the future,” Tompkins said.
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