Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court Judges

Judge Hoover
Judge Hoover grew up in Cuyahoga Falls and subsequently graduated from the University of Maryland (Phi Beta Kappa) and the University of Akron School of Law. He was in private practice in a family law firm for more than fifteen years before becoming a Judge in 1995.

His prior experience included prosecutor (Twinsburg), legislator (City of Cuyahoga Falls Council President), and various community boards (e.g. AMHA).

Judge Hoover is married, has four children, and lives in Cuyahoga Falls.

Judge Lisa Coates

Judge Lisa Coates was appointed to Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court in March 2003.

She Graduated from Tuscarawas Valley High School, in Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1986. During college Lisa was on the Cabinet of the Undergraduate Student Government and a member of the Bowling Green Mock Trial Team. In 1989, Lisa completed a legal internship at the United States Attorney's Office in Washington D.C. In 1990, she received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Bowling Green State University.

Following graduation, Lisa pursued a law degree at Case Western Reserve School of law. While in Law school, Lisa was a member of the Ault Mock Trial Team representing Case Western Reserve in competition. She held office in the Delta Theta Phi Legal Fraternity. She was also a member of the Order of the Barristers National Honor Society. During law school, Lisa again interned at the United States Attorney's Office.

Upon graduation and admission to the Ohio Bar in 1994, Lisa was employed with the Federal Government. She began at the Department of Veteran Affairs writing decisions regarding veteran benefits. She then transferred to the Social Security Administration to work as an attorney advisor for an administrative law judge. After a short time at a civil law firm, she started as an Assistant Summit County Prosecutor in the Criminal Division. As an assistant prosecutor, Lisa had almost thirty jury and bench trials. All of the cases involved felony offenses. In 1999, Lisa became the judicial attorney for Judge Adams doing legal research and writing decisions for both criminal and civil cases.

Lisa is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association and Akron Bar Association. She is also actively involved in her church. Lisa and her husband, Steve, have been married for twelve years. They have three children, a son and twin daughters. She enjoys swimming, gardening and interior decorating. The Coates family lives in Hudson.