Grimes announces bid for Greene County Judge
Attorney Jeffry Grimes has announced he is seeking the Democratic and Republican nominations for judge of the Greene County Court of Common Pleas in the May primary.
When asked what is the most important quality a judge should possess, Grimes said, “Integrity.”
“People need to be able to trust you not to be influenced by anything other than the facts of the case,” said Grimes.
“Practicing law in a small-town environment has enabled me to have more of a direct connection to the community,” stated Grimes. “Anyone before the court views their matter as the most important, and to them it is. They must be given the time and respect that their day in court entitles them.”
Exposed to law at an early age, 42-year-old Grimes said it was natural that he should pursue a career in law. “I was able to see the importance of the profession and the ability an attorney has to help people through difficult times and be their advocate,” he said.
Grimes began working in the office of attorney Kirk King as a paralegal in 1998 and went on to work as a researcher and opinion writer for Judge William Nalitz, and later Judge Farley Toothman, from 1999-2009. He then went into private practice, focusing on oil and gas and real estate matters.
Nalitz served as the county’s president judge until his retirement at the end of 2014, leaving a vacancy on Greene County’s two-judge bench.
As a lawyer in a general practice, Grimes said he had the opportunity to do “a little bit of everything” and that working in the courthouse under two judges, he became very attuned to the court’s caseload.
Not unlike other areas in the state, Greene County faces a drug epidemic, which affects the types of cases coming through the court, he noted. More unique to the county is the amount of oil and gas litigation, which Grimes predicted will become more substantial as the Marcellus Shale is further developed.
Grimes is a graduate of West Greene High School and California University of Pennsylvania. He earned his law degree from Ohio Northern University in 1998.
“I want to give back to the community where my family has lived for generations. And our community deserves a committed, honest and competent judge.”
Grimes is the son of Terry and Carlyn Grimes and is married to Kimberley (Kachersky) Grimes with whom he has two sons, Jackson, 6, and Joel, 4. He is a member and past president of the Greene County Bar Association, a member of the National Rifle Association as well as a member and trustee of Valley Chapel United Methodist Church, Holbrook.