Mary Margaret Rowlands
OH · Judge, Summit County Court of Common Pleas, General Division
Mary Margaret Rowlands is a judge of the Summit County Court of Common Pleas, General Division. She was first elected to the court in 2008 and leads an Ohio Supreme Court certified Re-entry Court.
Track record
Track record — General
General · 4 records
Decided a murder case herself, without a jury, after a week-long trial in Summit County Common Pleas Court. On August 6, 2026 she found Justice Oney not guilty of every charge in the 2025 shooting death of Nathan Flight, including murder, abduction, and two counts of assault with a gun. Oney's defense lawyer said he had acted in self-defense.
August 6, 2026
Source: thebarbertongazette.com
In State ex rel. Ames v. Summit County Court of Common Pleas, the Ohio Supreme Court dismissed as moot an appeal challenging her handling of an underlying civil case after she dismissed that case when the plaintiff failed to serve the complaint within the required period.
February 6, 2020
Source: supremecourt.ohio.gov
Was selected as an International Association of Women Judges delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women for three consecutive years, where she participated in work focused on overcoming barriers to gender equality and ensuring equal access to justice.
April 16, 2019
Source: akroncf.org
A prisoner sued Rowlands and a visiting judge, asking for a new final sentencing order in his 2012 criminal case, which she had handed to the visiting judge. The Ohio Supreme Court threw the case out in 2018, ruling he could have raised the issue in a normal appeal (State ex rel. Payne v. Reinbold).
July 12, 2018
Source: supremecourt.ohio.gov
Past race Mary Margaret Rowlands ran in:
- For Judge of the Court of Common Pleas (General Division) (Full Term Commencing 1/6/2027) · November 3, 2026 · Summit County, Ohio · incumbent