Candidate for
Judge; Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/1/05

Like many Ohioans, I wasn't born to a wealthy family. I'm the granddaughter of a coalminer and the daughter of a carpenter. I was the first in my family to go to college, working my way to pay tuition. I met and married Bob Lanzinger, and graduated magna cum laude in education. When our daughter was small and after our son was adopted, I returned to school and earned my J.D. at the University of Toledo College of Law, graduating as valedictorian. My husband of nearly 37 years has his own small business as a home inspector and has been a wonderful support throughout my 26 year legal career.

After practicing environmental law with the Toledo Edison Company and then employment law and litigation at the law firm of Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick, I won my first election to Toledo Municipal Court in 1985. In municipal court high volume cases are handled--everything from traffic violations to felony arraignments. I volunteered to become Toledo's first Housing Judge in 1988 and helped start the Housing Court.

For 14 years I served as a Common Pleas Court Judge in Lucas County, hearing thousands of cases, writing over 1,000 opinions--170 published-- presiding over more than 250 jury trials and hearing 12 death penalty cases. Two years ago, I was elected to the 6th District Court of Appeal, which reviews cases from the trial courts in 8 counties in Northwest Ohio.

As you see, I've served at all three levels in the court system. To become a better judge, I studied for a Master of Judicial Studies degree, and was only the second woman in the U.S. to earn such a degree. I continue to teach judges and have been asked to teach in 7 states and in Russia. I've been on the faculty at the University of Toledo College of Law for 16 years.

In the meantime Bob and I have raised our two children, both of whom are now attorneys. Our son returned from Iraq last year after a term in the U.S. Army. We are proud to report we have three grandchildren.

The Ohio State Bar Association, after carefully reviewing my judicial record and reputation, gave me a rating of `highly recommended' for this race.