We were lucky to catch up with Ron Cable recently and have shared our conversation below.
Ron, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
I have been an attorney and magistrate for more than 20 years and was first elected to the bench here at the Akron Municipal Court nearly six years ago.
I’ve seen a wide range of cases and have seen essentially every age and demographic during my tenure at various courts.
Some individuals have asked me if my job is depressing, seeing that negativity and hurt people in the community can really bring you down. In reality, the success stories of people overcoming obstacles is what first comes to mind when I think of the impact I’ve made throughout my career.
I also have the privilege of seeing happy couples frequently as the Akron Municipal Court performs wedding ceremonies. Both parties leave happy when I officiate a wedding – which rarely happens in a traditional court hearing.
Just like all of us, I work hard to balance work and family life. My son Ronnie has Autism. My wife and I see the beauty of our son’s strengths each and every day. It is important to value members of the Autism community.
Ronnie is one of my three children and all three have beautiful and bright futures.
Ronnie inspired me to start a program at the Akron Municipal Court entitled Connect. Connect is for adults in the criminal justice system with developmental disabilities such as Autism or Down syndrome.
Launching Connect and helping these men and women as they create a new life path is amazing and fulfilling.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Judge Ron Cable was first elected to the Akron Municipal Court bench in 2017. He was selected to be the Administrative/Presiding Judge for the Akron Municipal Court for both 2021 and 2022.
Judge Cable started RISE (Restore Individual Self-Empowerment) Court at the Akron Municipal Court shortly after being elected to help adult female victims of human trafficking. RISE first began as a court-sponsored program and transitioned into a certified specialized docket in November 2020. Judge Cable also presides over the Court’s Family Intervention Court specialized docket and the Connect Program.
Judge Cable served as a magistrate at the Summit County Juvenile Court before being elected judge. Prior to serving in the Juvenile Division, Judge Cable served as the Chief Magistrate of the Summit County Domestic Relations Court. In addition to his work as a magistrate, Judge Cable was involved as a mediator and presenter in the Domestic Relations Court’s programs that promote conflict resolution. Judge Cable also founded the therapy dog program at the Domestic Relations Court.
Judge Cable has additional experience working for Legal Aid, as an attorney in private practice and in corrections where he managed adults in both the federal and state system. Judge Cable also worked in the juvenile correction system.
Judge Cable graduated from The University of Akron with a B.A. in Political Science and from The University of Akron School of Law with a Juris Doctor. Judge Cable also studied at the Capital University School of Law.
Judge Cable has served on various boards and committees, including Akron Summit Community Action, Autism Society of America, Greater Akron Chapter, The University of Akron Learning Commons Task Force, The University of Akron Friends of the Library, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section Officer and the Summit County Fatherhood Initiative.
Judge Cable is a member of the Ohio Judicial Conference, the Ohio Bar Association, the Akron Bar Association and is a fellow of the Akron Bar Foundation. Judge Cable is a resident of Akron, Ohio where he lives with his wife and three children.
The Victim Assistance Program presented Judge Cable with the Rev. Dr. Robert A. Denton Outstanding Victim Service Award in April 2021. He received this honor because of his faithfulness, dedication and commitment to victims of crime and trauma through his work with RISE.
In September 2021, Judge Cable and RISE received the Ohio State Bar Association’s Innovative Court Programs and Practices Award. The purpose of this award is to bring greater visibility to exemplary programs in Ohio’s courts and to facilitate the transfer of those programs to other courts in the state.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
-Determination -Innovation
-Compassion
If someone wants to become an attorney, I would tell them to study as much as possible but also to think about what they hope to accomplish in their career. Since becoming a Judge, I have developed innovative programming that other courts across the state have replicated. I am able to share resources with my colleagues statewide.
My goal has always been to help people, even when I was a law student, and the programming I lead does just that. I’m living my dream but it took hard work to get here.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
The court-sponsored specialized dockets and court-sponsored programs I run all have Advisory Boards. If a person wants to learn more about being a part of an Advisory Board, they can call my courtroom directly at (330) 375-2053.
Contact Info:
