Judicial Vacancies Filled in Belmont, Madison Counties
From left: Belmont County Prosecutor Christopher M. Berhalter (photo courtesy of The Times Leader) and Madison County Assistant Prosecutor Eamon P. Costello (photo courtesy of The Madison Press).
From left: Belmont County Prosecutor Christopher M. Berhalter (photo courtesy of The Times Leader) and Madison County Assistant Prosecutor Eamon P. Costello (photo courtesy of The Madison Press).
Two county prosecutors will join the ranks of judges next month after their appointments Wednesday by Gov. John Kasich to fill judicial vacancies.
Kasich appointed Belmont County Prosecutor Christopher M. Berhalter to the Belmont County Court, Northern Division to replace Judge Frank A. Fregiato, who was appointed to the Belmont County Common Pleas Court. Berhalter will take the bench on November 18.
The governor also appointed Madison County Assistant Prosecutor Eamon P. Costello to the Madison County Common Pleas Court to replace retiring Judge Robert D. Nichols. Costello will take the bench on November 1.
Each new judge will need to run in the November 2014 general election to retain their seats for the unexpired terms, whose end dates are January 1, 2019 for Belmont County and December 31, 2016 for Madison County.
Berhalter received his bachelor’s degree and his law degree from The Ohio State University. Costello received his bachelor’s degree from Wright State University and his law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law.
Berhalter was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio on November 12, 1996, while Costello was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio on November 8, 1993.
Berhalter is a member of the board for the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Upper Ohio Valley as well as the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America. He began his career at Sommer, Liberati & Berhalter shortly after graduating from law school.
Costello is a member of the National District Attorneys Association and has worked as the village solicitor for Plain City since 2011. He began his career at the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office shortly after graduating from law school.