The Honorable J. Mark Costine graduated from St. Clairsville High School and attended Wake Forest University.  He received his Juris Doctorate Degree in 1979 from Ohio Northern University.

Judge Costine began his term as Probate and Juvenile Judge for Belmont County on December 24, 1998.  He was a practicing attorney in The Costine Law Firm from 1979 – 1998, and was Belmont County Assistant Pubic Defender from 1979 – 1998.

Judge Costine is responsible for implementing an Intake and Diversion Program for Juvenile Court as well as a Juvenile Court Drug Program and Family Drug Court Program.  He is a member of the faculty for the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges and lectures throughout the country regarding Juvenile Drug Court matters.

Judge Costine has been very active with the youth in the community.  He was a Boy Scout Leader and member of the Executive Committee for the Ohio River Valley Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  He has been the Coach for the World Finalist Olympics of the Mind Team for two years.

Judge Costine is married to the former Brenda Edler and together, they have three children.

The Honorable Samuel W. Kerr graduated from Wintersville High School and attended Washington and Jefferson College.  He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1965. 

Judge Kerr began his term as Probate and Juvenile Judge for Jefferson County in 1990.  Prior to that, he was an elected County Judge from 1970 – 1990.  He practiced law with Quinn, Adulewicz and Kerr from 1967 – 1990.

Judge Kerr was in the U.S. Army from 1965 – 1967 (Captain Artillery – Korea).

Judge Kerr is married to the former Emily Hayes of Toronto and they have three children and five grandchildren.

The Honorable John W. Nau graduated from Caldwell High School and attended Salem College in Salem, W.V.  He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from Ohio State University in 1976. 

Judge Nau began his term as Probate and Juvenile Judge for Noble County in 1990.  Prior to that, he worked at Theisen, Brock, Frye and Erb in Marietta, Ohio from 1976 – 1980 and was the Noble County Prosecuting Attorney from 1980 – 1989.

Some of Judge Nau’s affiliations include the Noble County Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, Noble County Chamber of Commerce, St. Stephen Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus.

Judge Nau is married to the former Janet Van Fleet and they have two children, Sally and Matthew.

The Honorable Matthew P. Puskarich graduated from Lakeland High School and attended Otterbein College.  He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from Wake Forrest School of Law in 1991.

Judge Puskarich began his term as Probate and Juvenile Judge for Harrison County in 2003.  Before that he was the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Jefferson County from 1991 – 1996 and was elected Harrison County Prosecuting Attorney in 1997 and served until 2003. 

Some of Judge Puskarich’s affiliations include the Ohio Association of Juvenile Court Judges, Director for District 5 from 2005 to present and Sargus Juvenile Detention Center Board Vice-Chairman from 2003 to present.

Judge Puskarich is married to the former Kris Heston and they have two sons.

The Honorable Walter R. Starr attended the University of Akron and received his Juris Doctorate Degree from Ohio Northern University. 

Judge Starr began his term as Probate and Juvenile Judge for Monroe County in 1991.  Prior to that, he was a practicing attorney in the Yoss and Starr Law Firm from 1979 – 1991 and was Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Monroe County from 1979 – 1982 and 1986 – 1991.

Some of Judge Starr’s affiliations include the American Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association, National Association of Probate Judges, Ohio Association of Family and Juvenile Court Judges, Ohio Association of Probate Judges, Ohio Association of Family and Juvenile Court Judges, and Monroe County Family and Children First Council.

Meetings will be held at 5 PM at Oakview Juvenile Residential Center