Judith Nicely

Biography

Judith Nicely is a retired judge.  She served two six-year terms in the Summit County Domestic Relations Court (1991-2003) and from 2003 to 2015, she was a visiting judge, sitting by assignment from the Supreme Court of Ohio in family law in many different counties.

 She graduated from the College of Nursing at Ohio State University and the University of Akron Law School in 1977.

 For thirteen years, she was an associate in a small law firm and practiced general law with a substantial interest in family law and labor/employment law.  For three years prior to becoming a judge, she was chair of the Akron Bar Association Family Law Section.

 As plaintiff's attorney, she won two cases in the Ohio Supreme Court:  Stevens v. Stevens, (1986) 23 Ohio St. 3d 115; Kelly v. Georgia Pacific Corp., (1989) 46 Ohio St. 3d 134.  She wrote articles for the Banks-Baldwin Domestic Relations Journal of Ohio and edited a chapter on child support for the Manual.

 As both an attorney and judge, she has been active in the Akron Bar Association, the Ohio Bar Association, American Bar Association and the Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges where she served as president for two years.  Her special interests are family law and dispute resolution.  She enjoyed preparing materials and speaking at both professional and community organizations.

 As an active participant in the community, she served on several boards.  At the present time she is involved with Friends of Metro Parks, Actors Summit and Akron Garden Club.  With passion, she continues to pursue her interest in gardening, reading (mostly non-fiction), the culinary arts and the performing arts such as theatre, art, music and dance.