The Honorable Elisa Peters has declared her candidacy for re-election as judge
of the Circleville Municipal Court, seeking a second term in the general election on
November 4, 2025. “It has been my honor and privilege to serve the community where I
grew up, and I look forward to continuing in that service for a second term on the
Circleville Municipal Court bench,” she said.
Peters is a graduate of Circleville High School, the University of Kentucky, and
the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. She began her career as an attorney in
private practice and then worked as an assistant law director and assistant county
prosecutor. She served as the Magistrate in the Pickaway County Common Pleas Court
for over twenty years before her election to the Circleville Municipal Court bench in
January 2020.
During her tenure on the bench, Judge Peters started the Circleville Municipal
Recovery Court docket to help combat criminal activity related to addiction, instituted a
criminal diversion program for first-time offenders, and created a Traffic Safety Program.
“Programs have been developed during my term in office with the goal of educating
offenders, providing support, and reducing recidivism,” said Judge Peters, “however,
there is much work to be done. My future goals include initiating specialized dockets to
address mental health concerns and issues unique to our veterans.”
Judge Peters is proud of the fact that the Court has operated within or under
budget during her term in office, even assisting the City of Circleville by committing over
$430,000.00 to HVAC upgrades for the Municipal Building. In addition, Judge Peters
applied for and received a $150,000 technology grant to pay for updated case
management software, as well as grants necessary to fully fund the Recovery Court
docket. A deputy clerk in the court has been designated to collect outstanding fines and
costs, with over $244,000.00 collected in 2024 alone. “One of the responsibilities of the
Municipal Court Judge is to be a good steward of public funds,” said Judge Peters.
According to Supreme Court of Ohio statistics, the Circleville Municipal Court is
one of the busiest, single-judge courts in the state of Ohio. Judge Peters said she
appreciates a full docket, enjoys the daily contact with members of the community, and
is thankful for her dedicated staff. “I pride myself on being accessible to the public,
within the confines set forth by law, because I have been elected to serve the public. I
have been and will remain committed to serving as a fair and impartial jurist for the
citizens of Pickaway County.”
