Top row from left: Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge John W. Wise, Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Cheryl L. Waite. Bottom Row from left: Ninth District Court of Appeals Judge Donna J. Carr, and Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge G. Gary Tyack.

Top row from left: Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge John W. Wise, Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Cheryl L. Waite. Bottom Row from left: Ninth District Court of Appeals Judge Donna J. Carr, and Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge G. Gary Tyack.

The Ohio Courts of Appeals Judges Association has elected its officers for next year.

The judges who will take office on January 1, 2015 are:

• Fifth District Court of Appeals Judge John W. Wise as chief judge.
• Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge Cheryl L. Waite as chief judge-elect.
• Ninth District Court of Appeals Judge Donna J. Carr as secretary/treasurer.
• Tenth District Court of Appeals Judge G. Gary Tyack as immediate past chief judge.

Judge Wise has served on the Fifth District Court of Appeals since 1996. He graduated from Ohio Northern University School of Law and was admitted to the practice of law in 1979. After a 10 year private practice, Judge Wise was elected to the Canton Municipal Court bench in 1990. From municipal court, Judge Wise was elected to the Stark County Court of Common Pleas.

The association consists of 69 appeals court judges who serve on Ohio’s 12 appellate courts. As intermediate level appellate courts, their primary function is to hear appeals from the common pleas, municipal, and county courts. Each case is heard and decided by a three-judge panel.