The Delaware County Republican Party announced last week it’s seeking qualified candidates to fill the unexpired term of Delaware County Common Pleas Judge David M. Gormley, who will vacate his seat next year when he joins the Fifth District Court of Appeals.

According to the party, Gormley will resign his seat on Feb. 10 at 5 p.m. to assume a position on the Fifth District Court of Appeals the following day. The candidate to fill Gormley’s vacancy will be selected by Gov. Mike DeWine.

Gormley defeated incumbent Judge Patricia Delaney in the Republican primary for the seat in March, earning 87,236 votes to Delaney’s 66,718 votes.

Gormley said Tuesday he believes his prior work as a judge for the Delaware Municipal Court and current work as a judge of the Common Pleas Division has prepared him for the new position.

“I think that my 17 years of service as a trial-court judge in two different courts has equipped me well to take on the work of reviewing trial-court decisions at the court of appeals,” Gormley said. “And I know that I will draw on my earlier work in the Ohio Attorney General’s office, where I handled appeals in both state and federal courts. I enjoy intellectually challenging work, and I like researching and writing and thinking about thorny legal issues. I try hard, too, to write in a way that is understandable to the average person, which I think is an important part of the job.”

Gormley said he felt “very privileged” to have held his two elected positions in Delaware.

“The work of trial-court judges is difficult, stressful, and time-consuming,” Gormley said. “Many days, judges must wrestle with the effects of addiction, violence, mental-health problems, and other social ills. The job can sometimes be physically and emotionally draining. Despite those challenges, the work is rewarding because a trial judge can make some positive differences in the community and can bring some sense of justice to persons whose lives have been upended by traumatic or unpleasant events. … I’ve tried to treat everyone with courtesy and respect in the courtroom, and I’ve tried to do the job of judging in the kind of open-minded, even-handed, and thoughtful way that the job demands.”

Gormley added he is looking forward to “new challenges” in his role as a appeals court judge.

“I will miss my current staff and the daily courtroom interactions that make the work of a trial-court judge so interesting, but I’m looking forward to new challenges in my new role, and I feel well prepared for the work that I’ll be doing,” Gormley said. “I’m also glad that my appellate-court staff and I will be working right here in Delaware, even though I’ll now be serving a total of 15 counties.”

Gormley’s current term will expire on Feb. 8, 2027.

The Delaware County Republican Party said qualified candidates who wish to be considered for the open position should send a résumé, three letters of recommendation, and a letter of interest to Delaware County Republican Chairman Patrick Grubbe by Aug. 16 at 5 p.m. The requested info should be emailed to [email protected].

Glenn Battishill can be reached at 740-413-0903.