After more than 10 years on the Stark County Common Pleas Court, Judge Charles E. Brown Jr. retires today.

After more than 10 years on the Stark County Common Pleas Court, Judge Charles E. Brown Jr. retires today.

Stark County Common Pleas Court Judge Charles E. Brown Jr. didn’t want to hang on too long. That’s why he’s retiring today from the bench after more than 10 years.

In a letter to Gov. Kasich, Judge Brown wrote about his “work ethic decision” after turning 70 in June.

“While I am still capable of trying cases and meeting the requirements of trial work, I am concerned that I will not be able to discharge all of my additional day-to-day administrative duties according to my normal practice for the remaining two years of my term. Therefore, I must choose between not giving the taxpayers at least a full eight-hour work day five days a week and recognizing my age and retiring. I choose the latter.”

Gov. Taft appointed Judge Brown to the judgeship on February 11, 2001. He was elected in 2002 and re-elected in 2008. His term ends December 31, 2014.

Since 2006, Judge Brown has helped offenders released from prison find jobs and housing by administering the court’s reentry docket.

Judge Brown earned his law degree from Case Western Reserve University Law School in 1967. A Marine, Judge Brown served as chief trial counsel for the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam. He practiced law in Alliance and was a senior partner in Brown, Lundgren and Goldthorpe before joining the bench. He also served as acting judge for the Alliance Municipal Court from 1999 to 2001.