Judge James L. Kimbler: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

The Hon. James L. Kimbler (Ret.) served as a judge for the General Division of the Medina County Court of Common Pleas in Ohio. Kimbler joined the bench on January 1, 1997. He retired on December 31, 2014, and opened North Coast ADR Services.

Kimbler instituted the first certified Drug Court Docket and Mental Health Court Docket for the Medina County Court of Common Pleas. He also sat on the Governor’s Committee on Prison & Jail Overcrowding and the Ohio Criminal Justice Sentencing Commission.

Prior to his election, Kimbler presided as a judge for the Wadsworth Municipal Court, a position to which he was appointed in 1986. Before that, he was a judicial referee for the Huron County Court of Common Pleas.

Kimbler earned a bachelor’s degree in political science, sociology, and history at Ohio University in 1971. He then completed a J.D. at Case Western Reserve University School of Law in 1974.

After graduating from law school, Kimbler spent time as an associate at Murray & Murray Co. as well as the owner of the Kimbler Law Office. He handled civil, criminal, and domestic relations litigation as well as bankruptcies while in private practice. Kimbler also served as an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Medina County Prosecutor’s Office and the Huron County Prosecutor’s Office.

His memberships have included the Ohio Association of Municipal & County Court Judges, the Medina Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Medina Salvation Army Advisory Board, the Hospice of Medina County, and Hands Across Medina County.

A resident of Seville, Ohio, Kimbler was born in Lodi Community Hospital. He was delivered by one of the first female doctors in Medina County. He graduated from Cloverleaf High School in 1967. When not presiding over legal matters, Kimbler enjoys riding his bike and hiking.

He is registered as a Democrat.