Judge Jay A. Meyer

The Honorable Judge Jay A. Meyer  was elected by the Seneca County Voters to serve as their Juvenile and Probate Judge in 2008.  Judge Meyer is a lifelong resident of Seneca County who grew up in a large family that included many foster children.  Public service is a core family value that was passed down to him by his parents, the Honorable Gerald D. Meyer (Seneca County Juvenile and Probate Judge 1978-1998) and Jo Ann Meyer.

Judge Meyer is a graduate of Tiffin Columbian High School.  He received his B.A. from Ohio Northern University, and went on to earn a Juris Doctorate from Ohio Northern University.  After Law School, Judge Meyer served as an Assistant County Prosecutor for Seneca County and worked with the  Seneca County Child Support Enforcement Agency (CSEA) to pursue parents who failed to pay child support and the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services (SCDJFS) to prosecute those who would cheat the welfare system.

In 1998, Judge Meyer went into private practice working for the Shuff Law Offices until he became a partner in 1999.  During his 10 years as partner of the law firm of Meyer & Kerschner, Judge Meyer focused primarily on business/institutional representation, litigation and probate.

Since taking the bench, Judge Meyer and his administrative team have aggressively sought grant opportunities to expand Court services resulting in the following:

1. Family Intervention Court (FIC) – Grant funding for this important program was obtained from the Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot Mental Health and Recovery Services Board.  FIC is an intensive therapeutic probation program designed to address mental health, alcohol and substance abuse problems in families which cause reoccurring negative contacts with the Juvenile Court.
2. Diversion Program – This valuable program was re-established by Judge Meyer through his proactive maximization of the RECLAIM Ohio Grant.  The Diversion Program identifies appropriate non-violent first time offenders and diverts them into programming.  Diversion successfully prevents most juveniles from further penetrating the juvenile justice system.
3. Community Service/Restitution Program- This essential program was also brought back to life by Judge Meyer through his proactive maximization of the RECLAIM Ohio Grant.  Community Service is a valuable tool for the Court to teach our youth lessons in responsibility, accountability and community.  Grant dollars allow the Court to employ a dedicated officer to maximize community service opportunities for kids.  The Restitution Program protects our victims by allowing youth to work off their restitution obligation through community service resulting in grant dollars being paid directly to the victims.
4. IV-D Contract- Under Judge Meyer’s leadership, the Juvenile Court collaborated with the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services to enter into a contract to capture federal reimbursement dollars for the Court’s services related to child support.  In 2009, the Court’s efforts under the IV-D Contract brought $48,588.10 into the County’s General Fund.  In 2010, the Court’s efforts under the IV-D Contract will bring in in excess of $74,000.00 into the County’s General Fund.
5. Solid Waste District Contract – In an effort to maximize the potential benefits of the Community Service Program, the Court has entered into an agreement with Solid Waste District for highway litter clean-up wherein the Court will receive reimbursement for the supervision services provided by its Community Service Officer.
6. Indigent Guardianship Program- At the direction of Judge Meyer, the Probate Court successfully obtained grant money for the continued operation of the Indigent Guardianship Program ($50,000 in 2009, $48,000 in 2010 and $50,000 in 2011).  This funding was obtained from the Allen Eiry Board through a competitive grant application process.   The Indigent Guardianship Program provides guardianship services for seniors who cannot afford a guardian.

Judge Meyer’s community involvement includes serving on the Board of Directors for the Seneca County Commission on Aging.  He is a member of the Tiffin Rotary Club where he has previously served as Auction Finance Co-Chair for the Tiffin Rotary Auction.  He is a member of the Heidelberg Fellows. He is a member of the Support Service Committee for Tiffin City Schools and has served as a Celebrity Reader for area kindergartners.  He is a past Director of the Christian Counseling Center, Community Hospice Care, and Tiffin-Seneca United Way.  Meyer has served as a career day speaker for Tiffin City and Calvert Schools and as a mentor for the Seneca Area Career System Mentorship Program.  Meyer has served as a youth basketball coach at the Tiffin YMCA and Krout Elementary and currently serves as a coach for the Tiffin Middle School 6th grade boys basketball team.

Judge Meyer’s professional associations include the Ohio State Bar Association, Probate and Juvenile Judges Association, Ohio Association of Probate Judges, American Judges Association, Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges, National Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges, the Ohio Judicial Conference, National College of Probate Judges and the Seneca County Bar Association.  He was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1996, and is admitted to practice before the United States District Court, Northern and Southern District of Ohio.

Judge Meyer and his wife Heidi, have four children.