Julia R. Bates began her professional career in the Prosecutor's Office under Prosecutor Anthony G. Pizza in 1976. She succeeded her former boss in office winning election in 1996, and re-election without opposition in 2000 and in 2004.

Since taking office, Mrs. Bates has taken the lead in initiating various programs including SANE/SART Program; Senior Protection Unit; Economic Crime Task Force; Child Support Prosecution Unit; Felony Diversion Program; Speaker's Bureau; and In-School Mentoring. Under her administration, the Victim Assistance Program has expanded the Victim's Forum, and added Kids-Space, 24-hour Crisis Response Team and Notification and Tracking Advocates -- all programs designed to enhance citizens' access to and navigation through the criminal justice system. The office has also expanded the Civil Division to include specialization in environmental and utilities' law.

Mrs. Bates' office has been recognized and honored for their work by various law enforcement agencies and civic service organizations, including the United States Department of the Treasury, Department of Justice, Sylvania Police Department, Ohio Victim's of Crime Compensation Program, Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, Association of Government Attorneys Involved in Capital Litigation, Hadassah, Zonta Club of Toledo I and II. Most recently the office and Mrs. Bates was awarded the Golden Heart Award from ACES for outstanding work in the area of child support enforcement.

During her tenure in the Prosecutor's Office, Mrs. Bates was responsible for overseeing the prosecution of hundreds of felony cases. In 2000 she was able to successfully prosecute, convict and incarcerate admitted serial killers Anthony and Nathaniel Cook for the 20-year-old homicide of Thomas Gordon and bring closure to eight other families whose loved ones were lost two decades ago. This prosecution led to the establishment of the Cold Case Squad which has likewise solved and aided in the successful prosecution of cases from years past.

Mrs. Bates has used her professional expertise in various volunteer capacities. She has served as a mediator for the Citizen's Dispute Settlement Program, a Board member of Crime Stoppers, Inc., Police Athletic League, Criminal Justice Coordinating Counsel, and St. John's Jesuit High School.

In addition, Mrs. Bates is a member of the Toledo and Ohio Women Bar Associations, the Toledo, Ohio and Lucas County Bar Associations and is a past President of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorney's Association, the first woman to hold that office. Currently, she is a state representative to the National District Attorneys’ Association.

Mrs. Bates was honored by the Toledo Women’s Bar Association with the 2001 Arabella Babb Mansfield Award for leadership. In 2002, she was honored by the YWCA with the “2002 Milestones: A Tribute to Women” Award for government In 2003,she received the “Hero” Award from the Big Brothers/Big Sisters organization as well as the Alpha Omicron Pi Award for community service.

In 2005, Julia R. Bates was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in America. Membership in the College cannot exceed one per cent of the total lawyer population of any state or province. There are currently approximately 5,500 members in the United States and Canada.

Mrs. Bates has played a vital role with Trinity Lutheran Church and School, where she has been a member since 1982. She taught the four-year-old Sunday School class for fifteen years, and was Chairman of the Board of Parish Education and served as Chairman of the School Board as well. She has supported the Toledo Museum of Art, the Toledo Zoo, and the YMCA.

Mrs. Bates is a 1972 graduate of Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio where she was a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. While attending the University of Toledo College of Law she earned the Outstanding Appellate Advocacy Award and continued to work full time. She received her J.D. degree in 1976 and was admitted to the Ohio Bar in 1977.

Mrs. Bates is married to Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge James D. Bates. They have three grown children and a daughter who is a Junior at Kent State University.

Personal
Lucas County resident since 1973
Married to Judge James D. Bates, mother of four
Member of Trinity Lutheran Church since 1982, Sunday School teacher for ten years, past Chair of Board of Parish Education, past Chair of Trinity School Board

Education
Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio, B.A. (1972)
University of Toledo, College of Law, Toledo, Ohio, J.D. (1976)
Admitted to Ohio Bar (1977)

Professional
Lucas County Children’s Services Board, Legal Intern (1976-1977)
Lucas County Prosecutor, Legal Intern Juvenile Court (1976-1977)
Lucas County Prosecutor, Assistant Prosecutor (1977-1997)
Lucas County Prosecutor, Prosecuting Attorney (1997-Present)

Memberships
Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association
   Executive Committee (1997-Present)
   Treasurer (1999)
   Secretary (2000)
   Vice President (2001)
   President (2003)
National District Attorneys Association: State Director 2004-2005;At-Large, 2006.
Toledo Bar Association
Lucas County Bar Association
Ohio Bar Association
Ohio Women’s Bar Association
Toledo Women’s Bar Association
Lucas County Democratic Party, Executive Committee

Community Service
Citizen Dispute Settlement Program Mediator (1991-1995)
Crime Stoppers of Toledo, Inc., Board Member (1995-Present)
Domestic Violence Task Force (1995 - Present)
Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (1997-Present)
Police Athletic League, Trustee (1997-Present)
Lourdes College, Criminal Justice Advisory Board (1998-present)
St. John’s Jesuit High School, Board (2000-present)

Awards
1996 Certificate of Exemplary Service by the Ohio Court of Claims Victims of Crime Compensation Program
Certificate of Recognition from the Ohio Attorney General
2001 Gold Heart Award - ACES
2001 Arabella Babb Mansfield Award - Toledo Women’s Bar Association
2002 Milestone Honoree – Government Award - YWCA
2003 Community Service Award - Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority
2003 Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Ohio - HERO Award
2005 Induction into The american College of Trial Lawyers