Ohio Governor George Voinovich appointed Mark W. Wall to serve the balance of Judge James Alton Comb's term. Judge Wall was elected to a full term of 6 years in November 1995.
Judge Wall was endorsed by the Butler County Republican Executive Committee. The GOP leaders based their endorsement on Wall's 21 years of legal experience and highly qualified recommendation from the Butler County Bar Association. A swearing-in ceremony was held on September 6, 1994 in the City Building with a crowd of over 200 in attendance.
A lifelong resident of the Middletown area, Judge Wall graduated from Middletown's Fenwick High School and from Miami University in 1968. He earned his law degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1973.
During the Vietnam conflict, he served with the 199th Light Infantry Brigade of the U.S. Army. He received several citations and awards, including the Bronze Star Medal.
Mark W.Wall, Presiding Judge
Wall began his practice in 1973 with the local firm of Wilmer and Wilmer. His last 12 years of private practice were in association with Paris K. Ellis. He was in general trial practice with federal, state and local courts along with probate and real estate law.
Wall is active in community service and youth sports and served two terms as a Lemon Township trustee prior to his appointment. During his first full year in office, Judge Wall spent most of his free time speaking to veterans' organizations, service clubs, schools and churches. Judge Wall has continued to expand upon programs instituted by Judge Combs. These include a local-based treatment program for drug and alcohol offenders, domestic violence programming, a victims and witness assistance program and bringing the children's classrooms to the courtroom. He began and has expanded the community work program as an alternative to jail for young, first-time offenders.
Married for 25 years, he and his wife, Linda, live with their two children in Middletown. Both remain active in community service and charitable projects. Judge Wall is presently a member of the American Judicature Society and serves on the Criminal Law and Procedure Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference.