JUDGE TODD MCKENNEY
Award Winning Judge. Committed to Our Community.
Judge Todd McKenney serves as a Judge of Barberton Municipal Court and is running for re-election in the Fall of 2023. The court serves Green, New Franklin, Barberton, Norton, Copley, Coventry & Clinton. In addition to his regular docket, Judge McKenney also serves as the Drug Recovery Court Judge of our district and is working hard to confront the opiate/drug crisis. Judge McKenney is an experienced and award-winning Judge who is committed to serving our communities.
Judge McKenney has served as Judge at both Common Pleas and Municipal Court handling thousands of cases ranging from misdemeanors to jury trials for opioid/drug crisis. He deeply cares about our families, seniors and the safety of our communities.
Award Winning Judge
While serving as Probate Judge, Judge McKenney founded the Summit County Good Deeds Project which identified and educated thousands of Summit County residents about making simple updates on their deeds to avoid the time and expense of probate. For these efforts, Judge McKenney received the 2013 Liberty Bell Award from the Akron Bar Association for “promoting a better understanding of the rule of law, encouraging a greater respect for the law and the courts, stimulating a sense of civic responsibility and contributing to good government in the community.”
In 2022, Judge McKenney received the Hope, Courage and Change Award from the Freedom House for Women for his life-saving work as Judge in helping people overcome addiction.
Judge McKenney was chosen for the Judge Brenda Burnham Unruh Servant Leader Award- Love Akron,
2023.
He also received the Pastors Ron Fowler-Knute Larson Allies Award for racial reconciliation efforts, 2013 co-winner with Pastor Chuck Myricks.
Working in the Courts and Public Service
In addition to his judicial experience in the county and municipal courts, Judge McKenney also has significant federal court experience. JudgeMcKenney served as Judicial Law Clerk to U.S. District Court Judge David D. Dowd, Jr. He has also chaired the Federal Courts Committee of the Akron Bar Association and served on the Advisory Panel for the Northern District of Ohio. Additional public service included membership in the Ohio General Assembly and in the New Franklin City Council At Large.
Endorsements
Retired Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander
(More endorsements pending)
Over 25 Years of Legal Experience
Judge McKenney is a 1989 Graduate of The Ohio State University College of Law. While at Ohio State, he received the Dean’s Special Award for service to the College of Law as the Chief Justice of the student Honor Council charged with enforcing ethics codes.
Judge McKenney has extensive legal experience in both the public and private sector and over the course of a 25+ year legal career has served in small and larger firms: namely, McKenney & Gingrich; Leiby, Hanna, Rasnick, Towne, Evanchan, Palmisano and Hobson; and Black and McCusky, Souers and Arbaugh.
Pastoral Service
In addition to his legal experience, Judge McKenney is also a licensed, ordained Pastor. He currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the Akron Chinese Christian Church. While serving at The Chapel (1994-2007), he was named Mercy & Justice Pastor. By combining legal and religious training, Judge McKenney was able to help people in financial need and with mediation/arbitration, racial reconciliation, disabilities ministries and teaching.
Committed to Our Community
Judge McKenney‘s integrity is evident as he serves our community.
In 2021, Judge Todd and Bethany McKenney were humbled to receive the statewide Albert and Iris Gilbert Humanitarian of the Year Award by the Ohio District Kiwanis for significant acts of caring and community service.
Since the start of the pandemic (2020-2022) Judge McKenney has performed over 400 weddings safely and has tried to never turn anyone down.
Judge Todd McKenney serves on the City of Green Drug Task Force the Magic City Kiwanis, on the boards of Mission USA Disaster Relief and Faithful Servants Care Center which provides free medical care to those in need. He has also served on the boards of the Akron Area YMCA, Friends of Summit Metro Parks, the International Institute, Love Akron, The Chapel in Akron and Green and as a Trustee of the Akron Bar Association. Through YEPAW, Todd and his wife, Bethany, sponsor the Noah Award, an annual scholarship awarded to a deserving student in honor of their son Noah who lost his life to cancer.
Judge McKenney is a member of NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Summit County), the Akron Bar Association, the Ohio Judicial Conference and served for many years as a pro bono volunteer for Community Legal Aid.
He is also a member of the following:
Green Schools Foundation
City of Green Drug Task Force
Magic City Kiwanis, President 2019-2020
Barberton Rotary Club
Green Family YMCA, served on Advisory Board
Lake Anna YMCA, Charter Member
Summit County Farm Bureau
Norton Historical Society
Clinton Historical Society
Award Winning Efforts
In 2013, Judge McKenney was the co-winner with Pastor Charles Myricks of the Dr. Ronald Fowler-Pastor Knute Larson Allies Award for racial reconciliation efforts from Love Akron.
For seven years with his wife Bethany, Judge McKenney operated the “The Goosetown Inn,” a free bed and breakfast for newly arriving International students at the University of Akron. In 2005, Judge McKenney received the Outstanding Service Award from the Office of Student Affairs at the University of Akron for hosting over 250 students from more than 42 countries.
Judge McKenney received the 2014 Alumni Achievement Award from the Manchester Alumni Association and in 1992 was named to the Manchester Swede Olson/James France Athletic Hall of Fame.
Rated EXCELLENT by the Akron Bar Association!
This is the highest rating possible and he is the only one in his race to receive this rating.
The Commission on Judicial Candidates bases ratings on seven criteria: integrity, legal knowledge and ability, professional experience, judicial temperament, diligence, personal responsibility, and public and community service.
Growing Up and Family
A lifelong Summit County resident, Judge McKenney graduated from Manchester High School and also grew up working at the family owned North Hill Pharmacy and Gift Shop. Graduating from Hiram College, Magna Cum Laude, he received the Outstanding Hiram Man Award and was Captain and MVP of the track team.
Judge McKenney has been married for 25 years to Bethany who is a Green High School Alumni. They are proud parents of Selah and Nathan. Bethany was the District Nurse for Manchester Local Schools and now serves on Summit County Council. They reside in the city of New Franklin and are members of The Chapel in Green.