Judge-designee Jeffrey Ruple will begin his term on April 24 after 26 years in private practice.

Judge-designee Jeffrey Ruple will begin his term on April 24 after 26 years in private practice.

Attorney Jeffrey W. Ruple was appointed today as judge for the General Division of the Lake County Common Pleas Court.

Ruple takes the seat vacated by Judge Eugene Lucci, who was elected to the Eleventh District Court of Appeals. The judge-designee will assume office on April 24. He must win election in November 2024 to retain the seat.

A civil litigator for 26 years, Ruple has represented large companies, small businesses, and individuals. He’s a founding partner of the predecessor of his Cleveland law firm Cardenas, Ruple, & Kurt, LLC.  Before that, he was a partner at Buckley King LPA in Cleveland. Ruple began his law career as an associate at Falke & Dunphe, LLC in Dayton. And also practiced at Murphy & Lyons, P.S.C. in Covington, Kentucky, and Baughman & Associates Co., L.P.A in Cleveland.

Ruple is admitted to the bar in Ohio and Kentucky, as well as admitted to practice in federal courts in Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, and the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.  

Ruple is a graduate of Denison University and the University of Dayton School of Law. He is active in his community and the local and state bar associations.