Chief Magistrate Kreitzer is a graduate of Kent State University and the University of Akron School of Law. He started in general private practice, then became a public defender, representing: juveniles in Family Court in delinquency actions; parents in dependency, neglect, and abuse actions; adults facing contempt of court and contributing charges; and adults facing criminal charges in the municipal court. He then spent several years working for the Child Support Enforcement Agency establishing and enforcing child support orders. Mr. Kreitzer became a magistrate in 2014 and was appointed chief magistrate in 2020. He is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Stark County Bar Association, where he serves as co-chair of the Family Law Committee, and the Ohio Association of Magistrates. Magistrate Kreitzer has been involved in the Working Together for Kids Family Court Program. He was on the committee that drafted the current Family Court parenting time schedules and has been involved in numerous changes to the local rules of court and procedure. He has also collaborated with StarkMHAR to create videos to help people understand what to expect when they have to go come to Family Court.
Magistrate Kreitzer is married, has one child from a prior marriage, and three step-children with his wife, Diane. In his free time, Mr. Kreitzer enjoys spending time outdoors, fishing, hiking, and camping and enjoys woodworking as a hobby.
Family Court Chief Magistrate Matthew Kreitzer will be speaking on Assessing Risk in the Juvenile Justice System. He will discuss how the court handles juveniles that come to the court with delinquency charges, the benefits of assessing risk related to court-involved juveniles, and the provision of services to address their needs.