Magistrates

Magistrate Mary Ann Fabrizi is a lifelong resident of Mahoning County.  She received her Juris Doctorate in June 1985 from Akron Law School and was employed as Associate Counsel for local attorneys and practiced privately with a focus on Guardian ad Litem work and the Juvenile Court. Judge Dellick appointed her Magistrate in December 2017 and she is currently assigned to the Parentage, Custody, Visitation, and Child Support dockets.

Magistrate Ferris received his Bachelor’s Degree from Cleveland State University and his Juris Doctorate from Northern University. He began his practice in May, 1979. Magistrate Ferris is assigned to the Paternity Docket which involves private custody and visitation cases. He was appointed magistrate in 2006.

Kyra Fleming became a Magistrate at the Mahoning County Juvenile Justice Center in February 2023.  Prior to her appointment, Ms. Fleming spent the majority of her legal career as in-house counsel for public utility holding companies.  She retired as Vice President and General Counsel of DTE Energy Resources nka DTE Vantage, a wholly owned subsidiary of DTE Energy Company.  Prior to joining DTE Energy, Ms. Fleming worked as Associate Counsel for The Dayton Power and Light Company nka AES Corporation for four years.  

Earlier in her career, Ms. Fleming worked as the judicial law clerk for the Honorable Thomas F. Waldron, United States Bankruptcy Court, Southern District of Ohio, and an associate Attorney at Manchester, Bennett, Powers & Ullman, LPA, nka Manchester Newman and Bennett in Youngstown, Ohio.

Ms. Fleming was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio and graduated from Ursuline High School.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts from The Ohio State University, and obtained her Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University College of Law.   She also earned a Masters of Business Administration from Ohio University, and is currently obtaining a Masters in Social Work from the University of Michigan.  Her interest in the intersectionality of law, social work and mental health lead her to her current role at the juvenile justice center. Ms. Fleming is a Member of the Bar in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

Magistrate Barbara McNeil was appointed Magistrate of the Mahoning County Juvenile Court in 2022.   As Magistrate, she primarily hears cases involving custody.

The Majority of Magistrate McNeil’s docket involves Third Party petitions for custody and visitation.   Many grandparents of other non-parents file petitions for custody when parents are unable to care for and provide for their children.

Magistrate McNeil is originally from Buffalo, New York and Columbus, Ohio, where she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Social Work and then a Juris Doctor Degree from Capital University Law School.  She worked for Franklin County Children Services for several years before obtaining her law degree.  She also worked for the Ohio Industrial Commission as a hearing officer.

Magistrate Jeralyn Goldberg Mercer graduated from Youngstown State University in 1976 with a B.S.A.S. degree in Criminal Justice-Corrections. She worked as a Management Analyst for the State of New Mexico prior to attending University of Akron School of Law. Since 1993, Magistrate Mercer began her private practice focusing on child advocacy and business law. Magistrate Mercer is a previous recipient of the Mahoning County Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award for her extensive service as a Guardian Ad Litem and Special Investigator in child custody cases. Magistrate Mercer became a part-time magistrate in January 2006. Magistrate Mercer presides over the Dependency, Neglect and Abuse docket.   

Magistrate Melone graduated from Youngstown State University where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Special Education.  

She earned her Juris Doctorate from the Western Michigan University, Cooley Law School.  As a Magistrate for the delinquency docket, she hears cases from arraignment to disposition.  

Magistrate Melone also oversees the Re-Entry Court and the Pathways to Success dockets.

Magistrate Melone was an Assistant County Prosecutor, assigned to the Juvenile Division for five years prior to being appointed as a Magistrate in 2007 and Chief Magistrate in 2018.