Robert J. Patton currently serves as a judge in the Court of Appeals for District 11. He was appointed in 2023 and is serving his first term. He previously served 5 terms on the Willowick City Council from 2005 to 2013 and was president of the Council for over 10 years.

Robert previously worked as an assistant United States attorney for the Northern District of Ohio and as an assistant prosecutor for the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office. He also served as a judicial law clerk for Judge Paul H. Mitrovich of the Lake County Common Pleas Court.

Robert resides in Lake County with his wife, Lisa, and their three daughters. He earned his bachelor's degree in psychology and his master's degree in philosophy from Cleveland State University. He also earned his law degree from Cleveland State University’s College of Law.