Office: For Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court
Term Beginning 1/1/2021
Age: 55
Residence: Lakewood
Email: judgejohnpodonnellforjustice@gmail.com
Website: odonnellforjustice.com
Social Media: @JudgeJackOD; https://www.facebook.com/JudgeJohnODonnell
Occupation: Judge, Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas, General Division
Education: Cleveland St. Joseph High School, Miami (O.) University, Cleveland Marshall College of Law
Work Experience: Legal work experience: Civil trial attorney 1993-2002 and 2005-2007; Judge, 2002-2005 and 2007-present.
Family: Married with five children
Affiliations: Roman Catholic; St. Malachi Center Bd. of Trustees; Lakewood City Academy Bd. of Trustees; Cuyahoga County Law Library Resource Board; Ohio State Bar Association; Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association; Consistently disappointed Cleveland Browns fan
Endorsements: The Cleveland Plain Dealer, https://www.cleveland.com/opinion/2020/09/john-p-odonnell-for-ohio-supreme-court.html
Bar Association Ratings: All 2020: Recommended, Ohio State Bar Association; Excellent, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Bar Association; Excellent, Asian American Bar Association of Ohio; Excellent, Cuyahoga Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; Good, Norman S. Minor Bar Association
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years)
I have been a judge for over 16 years. I have presided over hundreds of jury trials, both criminal and civil, and scores of bench trials. I have handled death penalty cases. I was selected by the Chief Justice of The Ohio Supreme Court to be one of only eight judges in Ohio to preside over a commercial docket dedicated to the swift and just resolution of business disputes. I have presided over a criminal mental health docket specializing in the issues arising in the adjudication and disposition of cases where a defendant has a serious mental illness with a psychotic feature. I have a reputation for political independence, a necessity for any good judge.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I was a civil trial attorney who was in court almost every working day for approximately 10 years.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
The Ohio Supreme Court decides issues affecting everyone on a wide variety of subjects: constitutional law; education; collective bargaining; employer/employee rights; civil rights; utility rates; criminal law; commerce; legislative districting and others. I want to bring to these issues an independent perspective, informed by practical experience and the law, to decide these cases for the common good of all Ohioans.