The Solicitor & Prosecuting Attorney is the Village’s statutory chief legal officer, who is responsible for all civil legal advice and counsel to Village officials, along with serving as chief prosecutor for the Village in Hartford Mayor’s Court and Licking County Municipal Court.
As the Village’s counsel, the Solicitor is unable to provide legal advice to individual citizens, but does try to respond to reasonable requests for assistance from the public.
As the Law Department head, the Solicitor reports to the Mayor and supervises any special or assistant prosecutors, or outside counsel involved in Village legal matters.
The Solicitor has additional duties as police legal advisor and firearms instructor.
Personnel of the Office of the Solicitor & Prosecuting Attorney
Michael R. Moran, Esq.
Solicitor & Prosecuting Attorney
Mr. Moran has served the Village of Hartford since 1996. He holds a B.A. from Marietta College and the J.D. (doctor of law) from Capital University, where he holds an appointment as an Adjunct Professor in the Paralegal Programs.
He is admitted to the Ohio and District of Columbia bars, along with all federal courts in Ohio and all military courts. He is a graduate of the 54th Annual Short Course for Prosecuting Attorneys at Northwestern University School of Law, the U.S. Army Military Police Branch Orientation Course, the U.S. Army Inspector General School’s DoD Combatant Command & Joint Inspector General Course and the U.S. Navy Inspector General School.
He holds an appointment from the Governor as a lieutenant colonel in the Ohio Military Reserve, Ohio’s state guard, where he serves as the Inspector General and has served as Acting Staff Judge Advocate. Mr. Moran holds certification as a law enforcement firearms instructor from the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission.
Mr. Moran is also a magistrate for the Villages of Sunbury and Lithopolis.
William L. Stehle, Esq.
Special Assistant Prosecutor
Mr. Stehle is a graduate of Notre Dame University with a B.A., Indiana University with an M.B.A. and the Ohio State University with a J.D. He was admitted to the Ohio bar in 1964 and has had a distinguished career as a public servant and trial lawyer.
After serving the State of Ohio as an Assistant Attorney General, he was a Deputy Assistant to Governor Rhodes and an Administrative Law Judge.
He has served on Gahanna City Council, on the Gahanna Parks & Recreation Board and as a Deputy Recorder for Franklin County,
Ohio.
He is a former President of the Franklin County Trial Lawyers Association and was formerly a Board-certified civil trial lawyer.
Mr. Stehle has tried dozens of civil and high-level criminal cases, ranging from homicides to eminent domain takings, in successful conclusions before juries in courts throughout Ohio.
Mr. Stehle is a magistrate for the Village of Lithopolis.