Login | August 31, 2025
Meet Akron Municipal Court Magistrate Grace Barnard
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: August 8, 2025
Attorney Grace Barnard was recently promoted to magistrate after serving as Akron Municipal Court Judge Ron Cable’s judicial attorney for more than three years.
Barnard, who was sworn in by Judge Cable on June 11, hears civil cases and presides over criminal arraignments as well as overseeing some of Judge Cable’s specialized docket sessions.
“I am definitely busier, but I’m enjoying it,” said Barnard. “While I love learning, researching and writing, being a magistrate allows me to have a more direct impact on people’s lives.”
“I am very proud of Magistrate Barnard for achieving this next step in their career,” said Judge Cable. “I have been impressed with their writing abilities, time management and problem solving.
“Grace treats all visitors in my courtroom with kindness and respect and those qualities were the reason I first asked them to be a part of my staff in 2022.”
Raised in Cleveland Heights, Barnard earned a bachelor’s degree in film and digital media from Cleveland State University.
“I took a year off to decide what I wanted to do,” said Barnard.
“Law was something that was already a part of my family,” Barnard said. “My dad was a licensed attorney. He used his law license to teach police officers criminal law and was a police officer in Cleveland Heights for more than 30 years before becoming a full-time prosecutor.
“My grandmother on my dad’s side had also worked as the assistant director for the affirmative action office at Cleveland State University, also for over 30 years.
“I decided I wanted to pursue a career in law as well,” said Barnard.
After obtaining a juris doctor from the school now known as Cleveland State University College of Law in May 2018, Barnard started as a litigation support specialist at Litigation Management Inc.
Prior to serving as a judicial attorney to Judge Cable, Barnard was an assistant law director in the civil division of the Akron Law Department and served as an assistant prosecutor for the city.
Barnard began working for Judge Cable in February 2022.
“I was eligible to become a magistrate in November 2024, and Judge Cable decided to promote me in May of 2025,” said Barnard.
“Being a part of Judge Cable’s court has been a great opportunity,” said Barnard. “Judge Cable does so many amazing things for the community.
“I have taken a more active role in his RISE (Restore Individual Self-Empowerment) Court,” said Barnard. “The specialized docket assists victims of human trafficking, sexual exploitation and prostitution.
“I had gotten to know the women in the program over the last few years,” said Barnard. “When I stepped out as magistrate some of them were very surprised. I am now building on our previous relationships.”
Barnard played a key role in organizing “The Recovery and Survival Summit,” which was held at the John S. Knight Center on May 15 and featured abduction survivor Elizabeth Smart as the keynote speaker.
“The event brought a variety of community leaders and treatment providers and survivors together to discuss how best to address the issues that survivors are facing.
“Close to 400 people attended,” said Barnard. “It was a very successful event.”
Barnard lives in Stow and serves on the membership committee of Torchbearers Akron.
In addition, Barnard also volunteers with the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank and Akron Pride Festival, and is an avid runner.
“I am looking forward to settling into this position and my new responsibilities,” said Barnard. “Eventually I would like to get involved with Leadership Akron.
“I am looking into what other nonprofits and events I might be able to get involved with,” said Barnard. “Akron is full of hardworking people who do what they can to make the community better and I want to be as much a part of their efforts as I can.”