Office: Hamilton County – First District Court of Appeals
Age: 43
Residence: Glendale, OH
Email: candaceforjudge@gmail.com
Website: http://candaceforjudge.com/; https://www.facebook.com/CandaceForJudge/
Occupation: Attorney
Education: West Virginia University (B.A., International Studies,
German); The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law (J.D.)
Work Experience: Federal Law Clerk (2000-2002); Private Practice
(2002-present)
Family: I live in Glendale with my love, T.J., and our adorable Boston
Terrier, Mollie.
Affiliations: Member of the Board of Directors of the National
Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), Sixth Circuit ViceChair
of the NACDL Amicus Committee, 2012-13 President of the
Greater Cincinnati Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Member
Cincinnati Bar Association, Fellow of the Cincinnati Academy of
Leadership for Lawyers, Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of
Cincinnati College of Law, Faculty at the National Criminal Defense
College
Endorsements: National Association of Social Workers Ohio PACE
Committee
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
I spent the first two years of my legal career (2000-2002) as a law clerk
to the Honorable Frederick P. Stamp, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge for
the Northern District of West Virginia. During my two-year clerkship,
Judge Stamp sat by designation on the United States Court of Appeals
for the Fourth Circuit, giving me the opportunity to experience judicial
decision-making at the appellate level in addition to the district court
level. I managed half of Judge Stamp’s docket and wrote all of his civil
and criminal opinions for half of his docket. While in law school, I had
the opportunity to extern for Judge Algenon L. Marbley, U.S. District
Court Judge for the Southern District of Ohio.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a
judge?
I grew up in Morgantown, WV, which ranks as the fourth poorest place
in West Virginia. Going to school in a poor school district helped me to
understand at a young age how fortunate I was. My family was by no
means rich, but unlike many of my classmates, both of my parents had
steady jobs with benefits. My mother was a public school teacher and
my father, a U.S. Army Veteran, was an engineer with the Department
of Energy. My parents raised me to value hard work, honesty, and public
service. As a result, I make sure I use my law degree to serve people
who are less fortunate than I am.
Although I am in private practice, I have made it a priority to volunteer
my time to handle cases for the Volunteer Lawyers Project and
Clemency Project 2014. I also regularly take state and federal
appointments to represent criminal defendants who cannot afford a
lawyer. I believe that everyone should have access to a competent
lawyer to ensure equal access to justice. I have dedicated my career to
righting inequality in our legal system, providing a voice to the
voiceless, and ensuring the rights of all are protected in the face of an
intimidating and complex legal system. I graduated from The Ohio State
University Moritz College of Law in 2000.
Following my time clerking in West Virginia, I came to Cincinnati and
began practicing law. Sixteen years later, my resume includes work as a
pro bono advocate, an appointed lawyer for indigent defendants, an
associate at a law firm, and partner in my own law firm. I have extensive
experience as both a trial lawyer and an appellate lawyer before federal
and state courts. No matter if the case is a minor proceeding or a high
profile, complex matter, I work hard and I am always prepared.
Beyond my work as a litigator, I am passionate about educating and
training the next generation of lawyers on how to work at the highest
possible level. I serve on faculty at the National Criminal Defense
College in Macon, GA, the top criminal defense trial practice institute in
the country. I have spoken at state and national legal conferences on
various topics relating to criminal justice, and have also taught classes
at the University of Cincinnati College of Law as an Adjunct Professor.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I am running for a seat on Ohio’s First District Court of Appeals
because I believe that our courts can strive to better serve the people
of Hamilton County. My years of practice have made clear to me how
the system works and what often happens when it fails. It is my goal to
make the First District the gold standard for how an appellate court can
operate and serve those in Hamilton County. My time clerking for
Judge Stamp shaped my outlook on law and how justice should be done.
If elected, I will model my approach to law after his approach: diligent
preparation, courteous handling of cases, and purposeful impartiality. It
is my goal to make the First District Court of Appeals a more receptive,
transparent, and informative court. No matter how large or small the
matter is, every case coming before the court is seen as the most
critical case in the eyes of the parties involved. I will work hard to
ensure that the court is seen as fair and attentive to the litigants who
appear before it. I will do this by working to modify restrictive rules
that the current First District Court has placed upon itself. Unlike other
appellate courts in Ohio, the First District places unrealistic page limits
on the briefs filed by the parties and often does not permit reply briefs.
Historically, the Court has been known for issuing short judgment
entries in lieu of full opinions explaining why the court ruled as it did. As
a result, litigants can be left unsure of why they lost their case and end
up feeling like they have not had an opportunity to be heard. Public
trust in our courts is vital to democracy. People coming before the
courts expect a fair, just, impartial process where everyone is seen as
equal. I am running to ensure that our local courts and judicial system
live up to the high expectations people place on them. If elected, I will
make sure our court prioritizes impartiality, diligent preparation, and
thoughtful, compassionate decisions.