Gov. John R. Kasich on April 12 filled vacancies on the Cleveland Municipal Court and the Franklin County Municipal Court.

Cuyahoga County Probate Court Magistrate Janet Rath Colaluca will replace retired Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Angela R. Stokes in early May. Meanwhile, Jodi L. Thomas, a public defender in Franklin County, will replace retired Franklin County Municipal Court Judge Scott D. VanDerKarr on April 29.

Colaluca must win in the November 2017 general election to retain the seat for a full term commencing Jan. 2, 2018. Thomas must win in the November 2017 general election to retain the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends Dec. 31, 2019.

This is the second appointment to the bench for Colaluca. Gov. Kasich appointed her in December 2012 to the Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court where she served from January 2013 to January 2015. Colaluca received her bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University and her law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University. She was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio on Nov. 18, 1991. Colaluca is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association.

Thomas received her bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and her law degree from Capital University Law School. She was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio on May 20, 2002. Thomas received the Model of Justice Award from the Justice League of Ohio in 2015 as well as the ADAMH Attorney of the Year.