A motorcade in honor of the late Honorable Judge Mark T. Musick, who passed away on Monday morning, May 5, is shown on Court Street outside of the Jackson County Municipal Court in Jackson. Judge Musick presided over the Jackson County Municipal Court from Jan. 1, 2008, to May 5, 2025. People can be seen lining up on each side of the street to pay their respects as the escort passed by before heading to Mayhew-Brown Funeral Home. (Telegram Photo by Jeremiah Shaver)
A veteran judge who has been heralded for his humanity and compassion as well as his legal expertise and innovation has died.
Many in Jackson County and beyond are mourning the death of longtime Jackson County Municipal Court Judge Mark Musick, who died in the early-morning hours of Monday, May 5 at a Columbus hospital after a long and serious illness.
Judge Musick, a Jackson area resident and graduate of Jackson High School, had served as the Municipal Court judge since Jan. 1, 2008. He was elected three times by the voters of Jackson County — in 2007, 2013 and 2019 – which was likely a measure of his professional standing and personal likability. Prior to ascending to the bench, he worked for over 20 years as an attorney with the Jackson-based law firm (Steve) Michael, (Leonard) Holzapfel, and Musick. Both he and his two partners would all later become local judges.
During those years with the law firm, he gained the reputation for being a fighter and worker for his clients as well as an astute student of the law. While working on the front lines of the local court system, he earned the professional respect of his colleagues and the widespread popular support of many everyday Jackson Countians due to his genuinely unpretentious manner and affable, chatty personality.
In spite of the challenge of presiding over the county’s highest-volume court, Judge Musick also proved to be an innovative and determined problem-solver. When working on the bench, he saw a human being in front of him, not just a case number. Past and present Jackson County judges have praised him for his efforts to make the system work for everybody; his fairness and his compassion for people.
Noting that many of the offenders coming before him were drug abusers and prone to repeating crimes, Musick established a Drug Court. The concept was to give certain eligible offenders the opportunity to lessen criminal penalties if they accepted drug counseling and treatment. The greater community benefited as well, as successful Drug Court participants were converted from addicts and criminals into productive members of society.
The statistics speak for themselves. There have been over 300 persons go to Drug Court with 20 percent of them going more than once. Sixty-five percent of the participants have stopped using drugs and stayed clean for five years. Anyone who goes through Drug Court finishes their education as part of their treatment and the Court even works to provide additional job readiness training to help them find jobs. Over the years, Judge Musick partnered with many employers to employ Drug Court attendees. Now, the Court is even contacted by employers looking for employees.
“I think some people don’t realize that Mark’s impact on the young people in Drug Court is generational in nature,” commented Jackson County Probate-Juvenile Judge Justin Skaggs, who viewed Musick as a mentor. “If one person finds sobriety, their child benefits and that child’s children benefit, and so on. Mark’s impact is truly immeasurable.”
Judge Mark Musick
Judge Musick was keenly aware that drug abusers were dying in greater numbers than the general public could ever know. He worked with other officials to maintain a census of drug-overdose deaths in the county to stress the depth and breadth of the issue. His objective was to create more public awareness of these behind-the-scenes tragedies and try to do whatever he could to change things.
The lack of local jail space and the resulting negative fallouts has been a thorny issue in Jackson County for many years. In the absence of grant money for a new jail, Judge Musick took a leadership role and pulled together other stakeholders in recent years to work toward alternative solutions. While no solution was immediately achieved, his efforts helped put the issue on the front burner. The Jackson County Commissioners have since received funding for the construction of a new jail with a feasibility study currently taking place.
On the technology front, Judge Musick and his staff have worked diligently behind the scenes to keep the Court up to date and efficient whether it had to do with computer systems, data management, information systems or security features.
Judge Musick’s professional and personal standing in the community earned him an induction into the Jackson City School District’s Hall of Honor.
He also had every intention of remaining a servant of the community and was planning to run for his fourth term as Municipal Court Judge in this November’s General Election. His felt his work was not done and the compulsion to serve was as strong as ever.
An official escort led by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office brought Musick’s body back to Jackson on Monday morning. Other local law enforcement agencies and some local fire departments were part of the motorcade which was quickly organized to pay tribute to the judge. After the motorcade came into Jackson it passed by the Jackson County Municipal Court building where more than 50 mourners were standing along Court Street in a show of solemn respect. Many of the mourners were court employees and others who worked with Judge Musick in the criminal justice system but who also called him a friend.
At the request of the Jackson County Commissioners and in tribute to Judge Musick, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine authorized the flying of the U.S. flag and the State of Ohio flag at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Jackson County until sunset the day of Judge Musick’s funeral.
Judge Musick’s funeral is set for 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10 at the Jackson Middle School gymnasium. The family will receive friends at the gym from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Saturday.
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