A Hancock County judge will move from one bench for another after his appointment on Feb. 21 by Gov. John R. Kasich.

Findlay Municipal Court Judge Jonathan P. Starn will assume office in Hancock County Common Pleas Court on March 3. He must win in the November 2018 general election to retain the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends Dec. 31, 2020. Judge Starn replaces Judge Joseph H. Niemeyer, who resigned.

Judge Starn, who has served in municipal court since 2010, received his bachelor’s and law degrees from Capital University. He is a member of the Ohio Judicial College Board of Trustees, the Association of Municipal/County Judges of Ohio, and the Findlay/Hancock County, the Ohio State, and the American bar associations. He was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio on Nov. 8, 1993.