Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Dobson announced today his intention to run for Wood County Common Pleas Court Judge in 2026. He will be running for the seat held by Common Pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman.
“I have been deeply honored to serve the people of Wood County as their elected prosecutor since 2009. In that time, the office created Wood County’s first diversion program to help those struggling with drug addiction, moved from paper files to an electronic records management system, and increased its commitment and communication with victims of crime. We need to get back to the central reasons for the criminal justice system – public safety and justice for victims,” Dobson said.
“As judge, I would look at each defendant on his or her own merits with Ohio sentencing law as well as public safety and justice for victims as my guiding principles. I hope that the Wood County constituents will recognize the perspective and experience I will bring to the judicial bench and continue their support,” he said.
Dobson has been the county prosecuting attorney since his election in 2008 as the successor to retiring Prosecutor Raymond Fischer. Dobson had served as an assistant and chief assistant prosecutor under Fischer and, before him, then-Prosecuting Attorney Alan Mayberry, who later was elected and served as a common pleas judge for 18 years.
In his career, Dobson has prosecuted numerous significant cases, including the murder of 19-year-old Northwood resident Deana Meeks at the hands of Ralph Doren as well as the murders committed by Craig Daniels, Michael Dixon, and Larry Adler. Recently, Dobson prosecuted Xiaosong Wang for the double homicide of two business owners in Bowling Green as well as eight defendants for the BGSU hazing death of 20-year-old Stone Foltz. His work has led Dobson to be featured on Dateline NBC.
Dobson has also represented both private and public clients in the courts. “Most people don’t realize that the county prosecutor’s office is the attorney for all of the county offices and agencies,” he said. “Therefore, our office represents all the elected county officials as well as the county governmental agencies. As a result, I have appeared in many different courts and circumstances on their behalf.”
Dobson has used his position to give Wood County a voice statewide, having argued before the Sixth District Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court, testified before committees in both houses of the Ohio legislature, and assisted in the writing of several laws. In 2017, he was elected President of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association and, in 2024, was named Outstanding Prosecuting Attorney of the Year by the same organization.
In Ohio, common pleas judges run in both the primary and general elections. Dobson will run on the Republican ballot in the primary on May 5, 2026 and, if successful, in the general election Nov. 3, 2026.
“If elected judge,” Dobson stated, “county citizens can expect a philosophical shift where the interests of the public and crime victims take a front seat in the considerations of the court. They will see me work cooperatively with local attorneys to effectively handle the caseload and reduce over-age cases. You can expect these things from experience.”
