Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Former Mahoning County Common Pleas Court Judge Maureen Cronin, 64, died today at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital of respiratory failure.

Cronin, who had served as the county’s first female general division common pleas court judge, had recently suffered a heart attack.

She served on the county bench from 1995 to 2007.

Before that, she had served as the city of Youngstown’s first female prosecutor.

“She had an extraordinary legal career both on the bench and as a prosecutor,” said Youngstown Law Director Jeff Limbian.

“She broke the glass ceiling” in Mahoning County for women to enter public offices in the judicial branch of government, Limbian added.

Limbian said Cronin always had a passion to ensure victims’ rights were upheld.

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