Office: Montgomery County Common Pleas Court: General Division
Residence: Centerville, OH
Email: KateBowlingforJudge@gmail.com
Website: www.katebowlingforjudge.com, www.facebook.com/KateBowlingforJudge/
Occupation: Acting Municipal Judge/ Attorney / College Ethics Professor
Education: University of Dayton School of Law, J.D.; Miami University, B.A.
Work Experience: Acting Municipal Judge (2016- Present); Private Attorney and Law Practice Owner (2009 – Present); Faculty Professor at Miami University (2014-Present); Former Child Protection Prosecutor (2008)
Family: Married with 2 children
Affiliations: N/A
Endorsements: N/A
Bar Association Ratings: N/A
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
I am currently an Acting Judge in Kettering Municipal Court. I have over two years of experience on the bench in Kettering, where I regularly run both criminal and civil dockets. I preside over both criminal and civil trials. I determine criminal bonds in both felony and misdemeanor cases; hold preliminary hearings; and render judgment on pre-trial motions. I have experience authoring written decision in complex civil cases. I have extensive experience making the tough decisions necessary to appropriately sentence defendants in criminal cases. I am Certified by the Ohio Supreme Court as an Acting Judge, and have been trained and educated by the Ohio Judicial College. Running a docket as an Acting Judge has enriched my legal skills and prepared me for the Common Pleas Bench in ways that practicing as an attorney alone could not have done.
2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I am a trial attorney by training and trade. I have owned and operated a private law practice since 2009, representing clients in all aspects of both civil and criminal litigation. My practice has included small business and contract disputes; commercial sales litigation; family law; appellate practice; probate; environmental and zoning disputes; criminal trial practice; personal injury; and property disputes. I have practiced extensively in the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court in addition to common pleas courts throughout the State of Ohio. This range of exposure to a variety courts, coupled with my extensive trial experience qualifies me serve in this judicial seat with broad legal expertise as well as a fresh perspective on the ways in which we can improve the efficiency of our Common Pleas Court. As a former child protection prosecutor, I have experience working cooperatively with government, law enforcement, and social service agencies. Maintaining a private practice for nearly a decade, I have gained a deep understanding of law, while serving the people of this county. In addition to my work as an Acting Judge and Attorney, I am also a faculty professor of Business Ethics in the Farmer School of Business at Miami University. As a business ethics professor, I teach graduating seniors in the business school a model for ethical decision-making in the corporate realm. This ability to make well-reasoned, ethical decisions is an acquired skill. My work as an Ethics Professor renders me uniquely qualified for this judicial seat. Additionally, I teach Contracts; Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning; and Business Law. I have been nominated, peer-reviewed, and acknowledged for excellence in the practice of law for the last two consecutive years by Ohio Superlawyers. I am a past presenter at the Montgomery County Common Pleas Judicial Seminar, and the Dayton Bar Association’s First Annual Women in Law forum.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I have devoted my career to serving the people of this county. I want to continue this service as a Common Pleas Judge because I feel this position will allow me to best utilize my collective experience to better our communities and our Court. Every position I have held – from Acting Judge to Attorney to Educator – has given me an opportunity to help someone in need, whether that be a client, a litigant, a victim, or a student. I look forward to combining my desire to help with my love for the law as a Common Pleas Judge. My practical experience has allowed me to see the Courtroom from every angle: as a Prosecutor, a Private Attorney, and an Acting Judge. That diversity of experience is exactly what I will take with me to the Common Pleas Bench to ensure that our litigants and citizens have access to a fair, firm, impartial Judge who will respectfully hear both sides. I am also looking forward to the opportunity to share my ideas and pursue initiatives that will allow our Court to progress and operate with increased efficiency. I hold a deep respect for our justice system and for our the work of our Common Pleas Court. I will be both proud and humbled to serve our community as their next Judge.