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A native of Stark County, Ohio, Judge Dennis Barr was a Member of the National Honor Society at Jackson High School in Jackson Township, Ohio, graduating in 1977.  He received his Bachelor of Science, History Major in 1981 at Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio, and his Juris Doctor from Ohio Northern University Petit College of Law, in Ada, Ohio, in 1984.  In October, 1984, Judge Barr was admitted to practice in Ohio.

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Judge Dennis Barr started his career in January, 1985, as a Private Practice Attorney with Samuel J. Ferruccio Law Firm in Canton, Ohio, until June, 1985.  In July, 1985, he was hired as a Hardin County Assistant Prosecutor assigned to child support enforcement, juvenile and adult felony criminal prosecution cases.  He also represented local elected officials and various county organizations for civil matters.  Judge Barr then was appointed as the Hardin County Prosecuting Attorney, serving from January, 1987 to December, 1988, managing a staff of three attorneys and an administrative assistant.  As the County Prosecutor, he handled all felony cases as well as representing elected officials and other governmental agencies.​​

 

Judge Barr furthered his career joining the Stark County Prosecutor's Office as a Juvenile Assistant Prosecutor from January, 1989 to June, 1989.  He then transferred to the Criminal Division serving as an Assistant Prosecutor for over seven years, Assistant Chief for three years and then as Chief for over twenty-five years.  In the Criminal Division, he prosecuted felony cases that ranged from drug cases to rapes, aggravated burglaries and aggravated robberies, to the most serious crime of murder.  As Chief of the Criminal Division, he supervised fourteen assistant prosecutors and nine legal support specialists.  Within the division he managed three Grand Jurys presenting felony cases that are either bound over, direct or secret investigations.  Also, included in the division were the Child Assault Prosecution and Domestic Violence Units assigned to assistant prosecutors with specialized training.  In addition, he personally participated in the prosecution of one hundred twenty-two homicide cases.  Seventy-eight of those cases proceeded to trial and convictions were obtained in seventy-two of the cases.  Four of the cases resulted in the death penalty being imposed. 

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In March, 2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine appointed Dennis Barr as Canton Municipal Court Judge.  As a Judge of the Canton Municipal Court, Judge Barr presides over violations of city ordinances, any State of Ohio statutory misdemeanor or traffic offense and felony preliminary hearings for felonies committed within the jurisdiction over civil matters where the amount involved is less than $15,000.00 and small claims when the amount is $6,000.00 or less. 

 

The Canton Municipal Court serves the following Districts with a population of nearly 200,00 citizens and hears more than 20,000 cases annually:  Cities:  Canton, North Canton and Louisville; Townships:  Lake, Plain, Nimishillen, Osnaburg, Canton, Pike and Sandy; Villages: Hartville, East Canton, Meyers Lake, East Sparta, Waynesburg and Magnolia; and the Uniontown Police District.   

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Judge Barr's years of courtroom experience in both the Hardin County and Stark County Prosecutor’s Office, has provided the knowledge to manage the criminal cases assigned as a Municipal Court Judge.  Since taking the bench, Judge Barr has also gained valuable experience in handling the civil cases that are assigned to his courtroom.