Scioto County Attorney James Scott Smith has thrown his hat in the ring to run for the Portsmouth Municipal Court seat being vacated by current Judge Richard Schisler.

Smith has for the last nearly eight years been an assistant Scioto County Prosecutor.

“I was on the Ohio Air Quality Board until about three years ago,” Smith said. “I’ve been practicing law every day. I’m one of the only prosecutors with an outside practice. There’s a few of us that still do a little bit of practice of law in addition to our duties as a county prosecutor.”

Smith said he has primarily been a juvenile prosecutor, prosecuting every offense committed by a juvenile that would be a crime if committed by an adult in Scioto County.

“Then there’s gardening and taking care of the grandkids,” Smith said. “The wife has had this habit lately of making a list of items for things for me to do around the house. I’ve been doing real good. I’ve been knocking off five or six things every weekend.”

Smith was asked what he brings to the table as a Municipal Court judge.

“I’ve been an employer in Scioto County; a Scioto County new car dealer, having operated Capital Pontiac, Buick, GMC, Jeep-Eagle. I had 45 or 50 employees there,” Smith said. “I have always been engaged in the practice of law. I was a sole practitioner on my own, making my own way, which has been quite good at times.”

Smith said he has a lot of experience that qualifies him for the job.

“I have a good working knowledge of people. I’ve worked very very closely with law enforcement basically all of my career,” Smith said. “I was the former magistrate, or referee as they called it back then. I have been in Municipal Court. I have been a City Prosecutor in Municipal Court. I’ve done a tremendous number of jury trials, DUIs, domestics, from both sides of the fence, from not only the defense side but from the prosecution side in that particular courtroom.”

Smith said members of his family have been members of the Bar Association in this area since the 1920s.

“I bring the background and knowledge of people, a willingness to work for the people of the community to that position,” Smith said. “I have 30 years of experience. I was sworn in in 1978, went to The Ohio State University undergraduate school, and of course, Ohio Northern College of Law. I took the bar and immediately started practicing.”

Frank Lewis may be reached at (740) 353-3101 Ext. 232.