By Frank Lewis
Wheelersburg native Matthew “Matt” McFarland filed his petitions to seek re-election for a third term on the Fourth District Court of Appeals. McFarland was surrounded by his wife Lynn, his daughter Maty and his son Mitchell as he filed his petitions at the Scioto County Board of Elections Tuesday.
“I’m very excited to file with my family here,” McFarland told the Daily Times. “It’s a family affair for us. My dad (W.E. “Mac” McFarland) served Porter Township as a trustee, the school board, some refer to him as the mayor of Wheelersburg, if Wheelersburg had a mayor, so I’ve been in politics for mostly all of my life. My undergraduate degree was in political science. I worked in the statehouse in college as a page and I learned a lot there and we have helped various candidates throughout the years. Then in 2004 we had the opportunity to run for this seat to bring it back to Scioto County. My family is just tremendous supporters.”
McFarland said the Fourth District Court of Appeals, which covers 14 counties, is an important court.
“The Court of Appeals for many Ohio citizens is the court that they will only have one appeal in because the Ohio Supreme Court doesn’t take every case,” McFarland said. “The Ohio Supreme Court takes cases that deal with great public concern or a constitutional question and they’re all discretionary with the exception of death penalty cases. For most Ohioans, everyone gets one appeal. So anyone in the Fourth District that files an appeal it comes to us and we must review it.”
Prior to his first election in 2004, he was Common Pleas Court magistrate.
“You can’t be a success without the Lord blessing you and your family being behind you,” McFarland said.
According to BOE documents, the only other person to file for the Fourth District seat is Paul Price of Pike County.
Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.
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