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Longtime municipal court judge to retire

SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter

Published: December 14, 2017

He started the second veterans treatment court in Ohio, worked to increase security in the courthouse and to get the Youngstown Municipal Court a new home, now after almost 20 years on the bench Judge Robert Milich is retiring at the end of the year.

“The court has come a long way since I took the bench in 1998,” said Judge Milich. “It is a lot more organized and efficient, but there is still much to be done.

“I can no longer serve because of age limits, but I am confident that I am leaving the court in good hands,” said Judge Milich, 75.

Taking his place is Mahoning County Juvenile Court Magistrate Carla Baldwin, the first African American female judge to serve on the Youngstown Municipal Court.

Judge Baldwin will join Judge Elizabeth Kobly, who worked with Judge Milich for 17 years.

“Judge Milich is a very level-headed judge who never pulled any punches,” said Judge Kobly.

“We will miss him,” she said. “He worked very hard to help us get a new building for the court and it is a shame that we will move into the new building after he has retired.”

Born and raised in Youngstown, Judge Milich said he never envisioned going into the legal profession.

“Back when I was growing up in Youngstown, you were taught that you had two choices, go into the military or work at the mill,” he said.

He said it was his exposure to the unions while working at the Youngstown Water Department as well as his father’s history of union membership that led him down the path to a legal career.

He started working as a mechanic in the Youngstown Water Department Garage in 1960 after graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School. While employed at the garage, he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Youngstown State University.

He began law school at The Ohio State University, but the Vietnam War motivated him to join the U.S. Air Force shortly after he started. He served active duty as a logistic officer at Hill Air Force Base in Utah from 1967 through 1970 and in military intelligence in Germany from 1970 to 1971.

While at Hill Air Force Base, he obtained a master’s degree in industrial relations from the University of Utah School of Business.

From 1972 to 1995, he was a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve’s 910th Airlift Wing in Vienna, Ohio. He served as administrator to the medical squadron, doing active duty in 1991 during Desert Storm. He retired as a lieutenant colonel.

Judge Milich completed his juris doctor at The University of Akron School of Law in 1978.

He began working for the Youngstown Law Department in 1980 as first assistant and later deputy director of law. From 1994 to 1997, he served as law director before embarking on his second retirement.

“I was 55 at the time and I got bored,” said Judge Milich. “When I learned that Gov. George Voinovich was looking to appoint a replacement to the municipal court, I applied. The position was vacant when former Judge Patrick Kerrigan resigned.

“When I arrived at the court, there was a lot of dysfunction,” said Judge Milich, who took the bench in April 1998. “Two judges had gone to jail and another resigned.

“There was no system to facilitate a transition for new judges, so I essentially started from scratch with no procedures in place. Security for the building was also provided by rent-a-cops who did not carry weapons.

“Now we have police officers who are either retired or moonlighting and there are procedures in place to help make the transition of judges a smooth process.”

Youngstown Municipal Court Magistrate Anthony Sertick Jr. said he would “miss the mentorship and guidance that Judge Milich provided.

“He taught me to thoroughly research any decisions that I might make whether in law or otherwise and to avoid knee-jerk reactions.”

Judge Milich said his crowning accomplishment was starting the misdemeanor veterans docket in 2011. It was the second honor court in Ohio; Mansfield’s was the first.

To accomplish the feat, he enlisted the assistance of retired Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, a nationwide proponent for veterans treatment courts.

“Judge Milich’s court is a shining example of what a veterans treatment court should be,” said Justice Lundberg Stratton.

“Judge Milich’s program is so effective that I have sent other judges to Youngstown to observe how he does things and get his assistance with any questions they might have.”

Evelyn Ross, bailiff and veterans court coordinator, said the program has graduated 44 veterans and is scheduled to graduate three more on Dec. 27, the last treatment court session that Judge Milich will preside over.

“I think everyone is going to miss Judge Milich, especially the veterans who have gone through his program,” said Ross.

Christopher Derr, E-3 Army Airborne, who served in the 4th Ranger Training Battalion from 1993 to 1995 is among the court’s graduates.

Arrested in October 2011 after getting into a fight with three people that resulted in the destruction of property, Derr was accepted into the program in February 2012 and graduated in October 2013.

Today he mentors veterans admitted to the Mahoning County Common Pleas nonviolent felony honor court and works full time at Vallourec Star.

“Judge Milich had a profound effect on my outlook on life and on my drive to help others,” said Derr. “I cannot say for sure where I would be today without the program, but I do know I would not be as successful as I am today.”

Judge Milich joined forces with Judge Kobly to successfully advocate for a new and improved court building. The court is expected to relocate to the City Hall Annex early next year.

“Judge Milich wanted a new home for the court that reflected his respect for the court and the law,” said Youngstown Mayor John McNally. “We thank him for his help in pushing this project forward and for creating the veterans treatment court.”

Judge Milich has been involved with a number of military and other organizations, including serving as secretary of the Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council and former national president of the Society of Air Force Reserve Medical Service Corps Officers.

A member of The Mahoning County and Ohio State bar associations, he belongs to the Association of Municipal/County Judges of Ohio and the Ohio Judicial Conference’s Specialized Dockets Committee.

His last day as judge is Dec. 31, but Judge Milich hopes to return as a visiting judge.

He plans to spend time with his wife Kay and their adult children, Edward and Cynthia, work on his four Corvettes and build a boat and an airplane.

“I want to visit my veteran friends who I served with as well,” he said. “I am sure I will keep busy.”


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