CLEVELAND — Editor's Note: The above video features coverage of the death of Judge Nancy McDonnell.
Following the deaths of two sitting judges in Cuyahoga County, the Ohio Supreme Court announced the appointment of two visiting judges to temporarily preside over the dockets that have been vacated.
Judge Timothy J. McGinty was appointed to preside over the docket of Judge Nancy R. McDonnell. McDonnell, a longtime Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court judge, passed away last Tuesday at the age of 62.
McDonnell had suffered from previous health problems, including receiving a double lung transplant in 2009. At this time, the cause of her death has not been released.
Tim McGinty retired from the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas in 2012 after nearly two decades on the bench. He later served for a term as Cuyahoga County's prosecutor before losing his 2016 reelection bid to Michael O'Malley.
Last Saturday, Judge Joseph D. Russo suddenly died at the age of 59, and Judge Richard J. McMonagle will take over his vacant docket. He previously spent more 30 years on the common pleas bench before retiring in 2015, including nine years as the administrative and presiding judge.
McMonagle and McGinty will serve as temporary replacements until Gov. Mike DeWine appoints new judges to serve out the remainder of Russo and McDonnell's respective terms. The two would then be required to see reelection in 2022, should they choose to.
Both McGinty and McMonagle will preside in temporary courtrooms until further notice. McGinty will be in 17-B and McMonagle will be in 22-D.