Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday afternoon that Marietta attorney John Halliday will serve as the next Washington County Common Pleas judge.

Halliday will take office on June 15 and must run for election on Nov. 3 for the remainder of the term ending Dec. 31, 2024, according to DeWine.

“I’m just very humbled by being picked by the governor and I’m looking forward to serving Washington County as their common pleas judge,” Halliday said. “I’m awed by being chosen.”

He said he has the right temperament and intellect for the job.

“It’s going to be a very demanding job. There are a lot of things to be done,” he said. “We’ll hit the ground running.”

He won’t take the bench for the next month while he transitions out of his private practice. He said he has to “divest myself of all financial ties,” but that his associate, Kyle Boker, will take over working with his clients.

Halliday was nominated in March by the Washington County Republican Party to replace Judge John Triplett, who retired Feb. 28 after a lengthy medical leave.

Triplett, 60, of Devola, was elected in November 2018 and replaced Judge Randall Burnworth, who was elected in 2012 to a six-year term. Burnworth was unable to run again because of age restrictions.

Triplett only served two months of the six-year term due to a brain tumor doctors found in March 2019. Burnworth has been filling the seat in an interim position until a replacement could be found.

This isn’t Halliday’s first try for the position of common pleas judge. Most recently he ran in the 2016 primary against Washington County Common Pleas Judge Mark Kerenyi and Flite Friemann, director of Washington County Job and Family Services. He ran in the primary against Triplett in 2018.

Halliday has also served as an acting judge in the Marietta Municipal Court.

Republican Party Chairman Mike Webber said Halliday is someone he respects.

“He’s someone Washington County can count on. He’s competent and intelligent and I’m happy he stepped into it,” he said. “It’s a stressful role. It’s a dangerous thing to be a judge, so I hope we can get all the support for him he could ever need.”

Kerenyi said he’s known Halliday since about 1996 and thinks he’ll be a “fantastic judge.”

“I’m super excited about it. I’m absolutely sad (Triplett) wasn’t able to finish his term out,” Kerenyi said. “Halliday is the nicest person you’ll ever meet. He’s considerate, nice and fair.”

Webber said he doesn’t think Halliday, as a judge, will try to interpret the law.

“He’ll adhere to the rules as far as sentencing goes. I think he’ll be on the job all the time,” Webber said. “I think he’ll be a hard-working judge.”

Washington County Prosecutor Nicole Coil said her office is very pleased about the appointment.

“We appreciate Judge Burnworth’s continued service to our county, and are gratified that he will be replaced with an individual who also has the experience, discernment and temperament to serve this county very well from the bench,” she said. “He will be a wonderful addition to the court.”

Halliday will run for election in November.

Willa O’Neill, Washington County Democratic Party chairwoman, said she was saddened to hear Triplett had to step down.

“We were aware that the governor would appoint a Republican to fill that position,” she said. “Our central committee has not met on this issue, but we hope to have a candidate to run in the fall for that position.”

Michele Newbanks can be reached at mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com.

At a glance:

•Marietta attorney John Halliday was appointed to serve as a Washington County Court of Common Pleas judge.

•He will assume office on June 15.

•Halliday is replacing Judge John Triplett, who retired Feb. 28.

•He was nominated by the Washington County Republican Party in March.

Source: Times research.