Login | July 16, 2025
Common Pleas presiding and admin judges discuss their agendas
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: April 12, 2024
As the longest-serving judge currently on the general division bench, Summit County Common Pleas Court Judge Alison McCarty said she’s always focused on ensuring the court is meeting the needs of legal professionals and the public.
So when she was named administrative judge at the start of 2024 she was excited about the opportunity.
“I am honored to take on this important role,” said Judge McCarty. “I plan to work with my colleagues so that we can address the challenges facing the court, which has a very busy caseload.”
As administrative judge, she is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the court, including overseeing the general division docket and calendar and handling personnel issues.
She is working closely with Judge Susan Baker Ross, who was unanimously re-elected to a second year as presiding judge by the general, domestic relations, probate and juvenile divisions.
“I am honored to continue as presiding judge, which will enable me to complete a few remaining items on my agenda,” said Judge Baker Ross.
“Primarily my role entails handling any administrative issues impacting all four divisions such as overall courthouse issues and overseeing general division jury and grand jury proceedings.”
Raised in Westerville, Ohio Judge Baker Ross received her bachelor’s degree in management and her juris doctor from The University of Akron.
She began her career as an assistant prosecutor in the civil division of the Portage County Prosecutor’s Office.
In January 2001, she joined the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office as an assistant prosecutor in the civil division.
Judge Baker Ross then moved to the Akron Municipal Court in 2012 where she started as a judicial attorney and magistrate. She later became the court’s traffic magistrate.
She also had a law practice at various times over the years where she focused on criminal defense, uncontested divorce matters and probate and estate cases.
She was elected to the common pleas court in November 2018.
Since August 2022, Judge Baker Ross has presided over the specialized docket valor court which offers veterans the chance to obtain treatment and other services to help them recover from substance use disorders and mental and physical trauma.
“As a person in long-term recovery, I find my work with the valor court participants very rewarding,” she said.
A graduate and member of Leadership Akron Signature Class 35, Judge Baker Ross is also a member of the Ohio Judicial Conference Judicial Advisory Group and the Criminal Law & Procedure and Civil Law & Procedure committees.
She currently serves on the board of Hope United, Tyler’s Redemption Place, a Recovery Community Organization.
During her first year as presiding judge of the common pleas court, Judge Baker Ross oversaw a significant change to the juror selection process adding Ohio driver’s license and state identification holders to the pool from which residents’ names are drawn for jury service.
Before the change in 2023, the court relied exclusively on board of elections registration information to create its potential jurors list. She also worked with the jury staff to create a survey to allow jurors to provide feedback after their service.
In 2024, Judge Baker Ross is focusing on improving the overall experience for jurors.
“The jury room bailiff and I have been working with the grant department to secure funding to upgrade the jury rooms,” said Judge Baker Ross. “We are seeking funds to purchase new furniture and add coffee services and charging stations so people can charge their devices while they wait.”
As part of the effort, she wants to start an art contest in the high schools that would provide scholarships to the winners, with the top pieces used to line the walls of the jury room.
“The theme of the art would focus on the importance of jury duty to protect our rights as Americans,” said Judge Baker Ross.
She said the court partnered with the Summit County Victim Assistance Program to provide help to jurors who suffer secondary trauma after serving on a murder or other serious case.
“Some of our trials include graphic images and videos and we want to address any resulting trauma that jurors may experience as a result,” said Judge Baker Ross.
“Posters and brochures have been created by the Victim Assistance Program,” said Judge Baker Ross. “The posters are on the wall in our jury rooms and the brochures are available to jurors so if they feel symptoms of PTSD and secondary trauma after a trial they can contact someone from victim assistance who will put them in touch with the appropriate resources.”
Additionally the Summit County jury office is continuing its efforts to streamline the process for those who receive summonses.
Judge Baker Ross said residents can now access registration forms on the court’s website, enter their badge number and zip code and request that their information be updated or ask to be excused from service.
“With this system, jurors can also opt in for email and text notifications during their week of jury service,” said Judge Baker Ross.
Kiosks have also been installed to make it quicker for jurors to check in once they arrive at the courthouse.
“As a court, we are continuing to pursue ways to improve jury service, by making it more user-friendly and providing a nicer setting for the time jurors spend with us,” said Judge Baker Ross.
Judge McCarty said she plans to spend much of her year as administrative judge solidifying post-Covid policies regarding remote work rules and court appearances, and ensuring that the judges and court employees work together to address the heavy docket, streamlining processes wherever possible.
“During the pandemic, we implemented a great deal of technology which allowed lawyers and defendants to appear via Zoom in certain circumstances,” said Judge McCarty.
Now that the pandemic has ended there are a lot of questions as to when and under what circumstances hearings and other meetings can be done remotely, said Judge McCarty.
“Each judge has her own rules regarding when lawyers, defendants and probationers can utilize Zoom,” said Judge McCarty. “We are trying to develop a general policy regarding Zoom opportunities for defendants on probation, but will also allow each judge to individualize their supervision of individuals as well.
“Most of us are conducting arraignment and pretrial hearings with inmates at the jail via video, and Summit County has constructed 23 new video rooms and hired eight new bailiffs to handle remote jail hearings.”
She said the judges are working hard to reduce the backlog of cases from Covid.
“We have received a grant from the Supreme Court of Ohio that is allowing us to utilize the services of two experienced attorneys to supplement our already successful mediation department in resolving cases short of trial,” said Judge McCarty. “In addition, the judges decided to once again host a Settlement Week in October, which was successfully facilitated by Judge Mary Margaret Rowlands and utilized many volunteer attorneys throughout the county.”
Born in Akron, Judge McCarty received her bachelor’s degree in English from Wheaton College in Illinois and earned her juris doctor from Wake Forest University School of Law in North Carolina in 1987.
She began her career as a law clerk in the Summit County Probate Court for Judge Bill Spicer, moving to the 9th District Court of Appeals, where she was a staff attorney to Judge William Baird.
In 1989, Judge McCarty started as an assistant prosecutor in the Summit County Prosecutor’s Office where she handled hundreds of serious felony matters.
She was appointed to the Akron Municipal Court bench in May 1999. She was elected in November of that year and re-elected in 2005.
During her time at Akron Municipal Court, she presided over the drug court (now recovery court) and founded and presided over the OVI court. It’s since been renamed ARCH (Active Recovery Creates Hope) Court and is now certified as a specialized docket as is the recovery court program.
Judge McCarty was elected to the common pleas court in 2008.
While she served as administrative/presiding judge at Akron Municipal Court in 2005, this is the first time she has been named administrative judge of the Common Pleas Court.
In addition to her role as administrative judge, she is one of three judges who preside over a reentry court specialty docket. The program provides treatment and other specially tailored services to qualified offenders to help them successfully transition back into the community.
A longtime member of the Akron Bar Association, Judge McCarty has chaired several committees including serving 15 years as chair of the High School Mock Trial Committee, for which she was twice honored by the bar association as “Outstanding Committee Chair of the Year.”
Judge McCarty has been married to fellow attorney and former Judge Thomas McCarty for 34 years. They have two adult daughters and have hosted many foreign exchange students in their home.
“I am looking forward to working with the other nine judges and our county partners to continue to provide cutting-edge, progressive options for hearing and moving cases through the court in a timely and fair manner,” said Judge McCarty.