Seventh District Judge David D’Apolito hears his first Supreme Court case.

Seventh District Judge David D’Apolito hears his first Supreme Court case.

Growing up in Youngstown, Seventh District Court of Appeals Judge David D’Apolito was inspired by his cousin to become a lawyer. It’s taken him all the way up the state’s judicial ladder to first-time visiting judge for the Supreme Court of Ohio.

“This is such an honor for me. It’s been a goal of mine for years,” said Judge D’Apolito.

As a child, Judge D’Apolito thought the legal profession itself was out of reach because no one in his family had more than a high school diploma. Until his cousin Lou D’Apolito, 20 years older, became a lawyer.

“I loved the way he dressed and carried himself and told stories about cases,” Judge D’Apolito said.

That connection was all he needed to realize that a childhood dream could become a reality with hard work. So, he followed Lou’s lead, graduating from law school. When he started practicing, the judge shared an office space with his cousin, learning how to become a trial lawyer.

“He taught me everything I know,” said Judge D’Apolito.

The judge grew as an attorney, expanding his criminal and civil practice. It allowed him to help more people with their legal troubles and gave him the experience to pursue his career goal of becoming a judge. He achieved that goal with Mahoning County Court in 2000.

“I wanted to be a judge so I could help people get through tough times,” Judge D’Apolito said. “So many people end up in court because of bad decisions that come from being in bad situations with their lives.”

His focus was to empower defendants to be responsible individuals while holding them accountable for their actions. He celebrated their successes, but realized he could have an even bigger impact as a Seventh District judge with an eight-county jurisdiction in eastern Ohio.

“You can help a lot of people by making decisions that affect the entire district,” said Judge D’Apolito.

As a Supreme Court visiting judge, he is now participating in a decision examining judicial conduct. Judge D’Apolito heard a disciplinary case involving Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Daniel Gaul. He sat for Justice Michael Donnelly, who recused. According to the Ohio Constitution, when there is a justice recusal, the chief justice selects an appellate court judge to sit on the Supreme Court for the case.

What Judge D’Apolito didn’t expect was how his journey would in turn inspire his cousin. The judge’s service to the people of Mahoning County convinced Lou he should do the same. So, Lou became a common pleas judge and served until he retired in 2018.

“We liked being attorneys because we could stand up for people, but as judges, you get to stand up for more,” Judge D’Apolito said. “We’re the line between the government and the people, and we determine how far the government can go between protecting the public and at the same time protecting individual rights.”