MARION—Some Marion area Judges have raced to support former Judge Jason Warner’s bid to get his law license back.

The Board of Professional Conduct held hearings on October 18-19. While no decision by the board has been announced, Warner did receive letters of support from colleagues and Marion Judges. According to information obtained on the board of professional conduct website, 19 individuals wrote letters of support for the reinstatement of Warner‘s law license.

Marion Common Pleas Court Judge Warren T. Edwards was the only witness called by the board.

Warner testified on his behalf, as well as his wife and three others. Marion Municipal Court Judge Teresa Ballinger, Marion Family Court Judge Larry Heiser, Marion County Commissioner Kerr Murray, Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge Matthew Frericks, and retired Judge Richard Rogers all wrote letters of support for Warner.

No one representing the victim, Colton Gray, was notified of the hearing.

Judge Ballinger shared her long personal history with Warner in her letter to the board. She told the board she’d known Warner since he was a senior in high school when she was his psychology teacher and also his tennis coach. She also said she had known him on a professional basis in the court.

Noting that Warner had no prior record and no disciplinary action, Judge Ballinger made a statement that any convicted felon might appreciate: “ Does our criminal justice system or our ethics code call for the destruction of and revenge on the offender or does it call for rehabilitation and restoration?“

Ballinger went on to say: “ In consideration of a high standards to which judges are held, I fully understand how Mr. Warner‘s behavior resulted in the loss of his judgeship. But if reinstated as an attorney, I believe that he could be an asset to the legal community.”

Sitting Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge W.T. Edwards, called to testify by the Disciplinary Board, doesn’t see it that way:

“I cannot overexpress the impact this has had my court. The public faith in our court system here (Marion) is at an all-time low, where they feel like special treatment was given throughout the process, and your decisions here today will greatly impact that.

If this man is allowed to practice in this jurisdiction again, it will be seen as special treatment and will undermine the administration of justice and our community.“ Judge Edwards said.

Warner, 52, of Marion, and his wife Julia, 55, were each convicted of 1 Count of complicity to leaving the scene of an accident, a third-degree felony, after they left the scene of a two-vehicle crash on June 4, 2020. Their victim Colton Gray was severely injured.

Warner’s wife is awaiting a decision regarding her possible judicial release from prison. Jason Warner is incarcerated at the Toledo Correctional Institution, has consistently denied being the driver of the vehicle, and has claimed he was asleep or passed out when the crash occurred.

Additional letters of support were submitted by several others, including attorneys and Rev. Tim Miller.

Crawford County Now will continue to cover this developing news story.