Judge Jim Miraldi
Jim Miraldi graduated from Lorain High School in 1969. Jim wrestled for two years and played on the freshman football team. He said he overestimated his athletic abilities! Jim became involved in choir his senior year. He enjoyed music and had roles in both the Light Opera and the Operetta. Jim was elected Senior Class President, was a miseras he Nas a elder Society Most the Sly testCound it Wagel so voted underground school newspaper causing him to get into trouble. He thanks his principal, Phil Ryan, for understanding and bailing him out of trouble. Jim remembers many wonderful teachers like his kindergarten teacher, Jean Swift. At Lorain High School, he recalls many dedicated teachers such as Ruth Lucas (English), Audra Smith (Math), Lew Delgross (English), and Jim Ash (Political Science), and so many others. One of jim's favorites was coach and art instructor, Bill Provident. Jim says: "My senior year I helped a band I formed with other classmates, Dale Pincura, Lisa Freedman, Kathy McCord, and Vicki Hoke, perform for an assembly one morning in the gym. A group of classmates said they expected us to be lousy, and they were planning to heckle us. Instead, they enjoyed it, and enthusiastically congratulated us afterward. It was one of the happiest moments of my high school days, and it still brings a smile to my face".
He continued his education by attending The College of Wooster, where he received a BA in 1973 and was awarded the Phi Beta Kappa for academic excellence. In 1977, Jim received his Juris' Doctor and the Order of the Coif for academic excellence from Duke University. Upon graduation, Jim practiced law in the firm of Miraldi and Barrett, which was started by his father, Ray Miraldi. Jim worked for this firm from 1977 to 2006. Presently, Jim is a judge in the Lorain County Common Pleas Court where he started in 2007 and his term expire in 2024. He is serving as Chairperson of the Community Corrections Board for Lorain County and Judge of the Lorain County Wellness Court assisting defendants with severe mental illness. Jim was a Member District Board of Trustees for Lorain County Community College (1992-2006) serving on various committees as well as Chairman of the Board for 10 years. He is currently serving as one of the three vice chairperson for the Lorain County Community College Foundation. He began serving on this committee in 2007.
He is married to Marilyn Zeidner. He was previously married to Karen Knechtges, who is the mother of his two children, Michael (33), and Olivia (28), both living in Los Angeles. Jim played in a band in college and toured seven states on weekends, doing about 30 - 40 shows a year. Jim still has a band to raise money for charity - primarily for a non-profit, Music on a Mission. Jim restored an old barn with many of his high school friends and converted it into a performance center they named Barnegie Hall in 2009.