Office: Hamilton County – Ohio First District Court of Appeals
Age: 46
Residence: Cincinnati, OH
Email: gingerforjudge@gmail.com
Website:
www.gingerforjudge.com; https://www.facebook.com/GingerForJudge/
Occupation: Attorney
Education: J.D., University of Cincinnati College of Law, Summa Cum
Laude; B.A., Miami University, Cum Laude
Work Experience: Since graduating from law school in 2007, my
primary focus has been appeals. I am currently employed by the Moore
Law Firm, where I am responsible for all of the firm’s appeals and legal
writing.
Family: Married with two sons
Affiliations: Presbyterian
Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party, Ohio AFL-CIO, Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, Greater Cincinnati UAW-CAP Labor Council, UFCW Local 75, Greater Cincinnati Building Trades, LiUNA Local 265, OAPSE/AFSCME, AFS-CME Ohio Council 8, Cincinnati Women’s Political Caucus, National Association of Social Workers – Ohio Chapter
Bar Association Ratings: N/A
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
N/A
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a
judge?
My parents raised me to work hard, recognize injustice, and fight for
fairness. From a young age, I have spent my life working to ensure that
everyone is treated fairly and respectfully. After graduating from Miami
University in 1994, I spent ten years working at non-profit
organizations. This work gave me the opportunity to meet and work
with real people who are affected every day by the decisions made by
those in a position of authority. Following law school, I had the honor of
working for two years at the First District Court of Appeals as a staff
attorney. There, I had a first-hand view of how the Court worked. I
witnessed how excellent appellate advocates framed their cases and
arguments. I observed many practices of the Court that I believed
helped to ensure fairness. I also saw some practices that I believed
should be changed. Further, I had the opportunity to improve my legal
writing to ensure that I could be an excellent appellate advocate.
After my clerkship, I focused the remainder of my career on appeals. I
have worked in the Supreme Court of Ohio, the federal Sixth Circuit
Court of Appeals, and Ohio intermediate Courts of Appeals. I have
handled appeals in many areas of law, such as contracts, personal injury,
insurance coverage, domestic relations, criminal, and zoning. Shortly
after opening my own law firm, I agreed to represent a single mother
who had lost at every level: the magistrate, trial court, and Court of
Appeals had ruled against her. The Supreme Court of Ohio granted
jurisdiction over my client’s appeal, an honor bestowed on few Ohio
attorneys. The Supreme Court of Ohio unanimously ruled in my client’s
favor, thus reversing all of the lower courts. I have had the opportunity
to observe many great judges and some judges that I did not believe
should be on the bench. I have seen first-hand how excellent judges
ensure that the system is fair for all people, regardless of race, age,
income level, sexual orientation, religion, etc.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
My legal career has been focused on appellate advocacy. Through my
work in various courts, I believe that some improvements will make the
First District Court of Appeals an exemplary court. I want to work with
my colleagues to achieve that level of excellence.
First, I want to increase the Court’s transparency. In recent years, the
Court has taken steps to make it less mysterious, such as holding
community courts and inviting in students. But there are still numerous
opportunities for improvement. For example, many decisions from the
Court are two- or three-page journal entries that do not adequately
inform parties why they have won or lost. Not only is it good practice to
issue a full decision with clear legal reasoning, but also it helps increase
trust in the system when people understand why a court rules in a
particular way.
Second, I want to expand access to the Court. The First District Court
of Appeals, unlike other Ohio appellate courts, has rules in place that
restrict attorneys and parties from fully arguing their issues. For
example, the number of pages and types of briefs permitted are limited.
I want to work with my colleagues to ensure that parties and their
attorneys are granted the opportunity to fully argue their cases.
Third, my work ethic makes me an ideal candidate for an appellate
court judge. Working hard energizes me and I enjoy reading, writing,
and researching. I never want a party or an attorney to experience the
disappointment of appearing before a judge who is not prepared or
who has not taken the time to understand the nuanced issues. Being a
judge means being a public servant. If I were elected to serve as a judge,
I would take that responsibility very seriously. Whether it takes 40
hours per week or 80, I would be thoroughly prepared for every single
case that appears before me. If I were elected, all parties could feel
certain that I would carefully read their briefs and research all of the
issues in their cases. All parties should feel confident that win or lose, at
least the judges hearing their appeals listened, paid attention,
understood their issues, and provided an explanation for the decision.