XENIA — Adolfo Tornichio has added to his already long history of public service.
The current Greene County Juvenile Court judge was appointed to the court’s general division and will preside in Court Room No. 2, replacing Judge Michael Buckwalter, who was elected to fill retired-Judge Stephen A. Wolaver’s seat on the bench.
Gov. Mike DeWine announced the appointment Friday after considering Tornichio and two other candidates — Mark Donatelli and Christopher Beck.
“I do have to say this, whether it was as an assistant prosecutor or mayor’s court village prosecutor, or acting law director for the City of Xenia, or being in private practice it does give me a unique understanding of the law, and in the last five years as juvenile judge, it’s given me a unique understanding of how the judicial system impacts the people that come before the court but (also) our communities,” Tornichio said. “I am very excited to bring that depth and knowledge and carry on that tradition that’s known as the Greene County Common Pleas Court.”
Tornichio, who received overwhelming support from the Republican Central Committee, will assume office on March 1 and serve until Feb. 8, 2023, when he could run for re-election.
In addition to presiding over cases in his court room, Tornichio will join Buckwalter in heading up the Veterans Court that Wolaver began.
Tornichio has already spent a lot of time in what will be his new court room. After three years as a county law clerk, the Beavercreek native was an assistant Greene County prosecuting attorney for 16 years, representing the county in many felony-related cases. Prior to county-level service, Tornichio was a prosecuting attorney for the Village of Waynesville, acting law director for Xenia, and a private practicing attorney.
Tornichio and his two former partners — Wolaver and Ron Lewis all served as judges in 2020 after Lewis was elected to the Xenia Municipal Court. All three were also prosecutors at some point in their careers as well, Tornichio said.
“It’s just a dedication to the public service that the three of us have,” Tornichio said.
There will be some familiar faces in his court. Holly Deskins and Susan Butler will be the assignment commissioners — they previously served under Wolaver — and Alonzo Wilson, former Xenia police captain and current juvenile court head of security, will be the bailiff.
Tornichio earned his law degree from University of Toledo College of Law, after graduating from Wright State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Tornichio currently chairs the Greene County Bar Association By-Laws Committee. He previously served in leadership positions on Beavercreek’s planning commission, and board of zoning appeals, and in the chamber of commerce, as well as the Greene County Fraternal Order of Police.
He is active in various judicial associations, chambers of commerce, and the Xenia Rotary Club.
