Office:
Franklin County Municipal Court
Age: 41
Residence: Columbus, OH
Email: doughertyforjudge@gmail.com
Website: www.TrentforJudge.com
https://www.facebook.com/DoughertyForJudge
Occupation: Attorney
Education: J.D. from Capital University Law School; B.A. The Ohio State University
Work Experience: Public Interest Attorney since 2005
Endorsements: Franklin County Democratic Party; Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund; Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio
Family: Married with one daughter (age 12)
(1) List your judicial experience (courts and years):
This is my first campaign for a judicial seat.
(2) What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
For the past 14 years, I have led the legal charge for a cleaner, safer, and more just Ohio. With my law degree, I chose to dedicate my career to non-profit, public interest legal advocacy — putting my passion for a better tomorrow ahead of any pursuit of personal fortune. After passing the Bar, I helped create the legal department at the Ohio Environmental Council and the Ohio Environmental Law Center – advocating for the fair treatment of individuals and community groups around Ohio who are facing pollution hazards and degradation of their property. As General Counsel for the Ohio Environmental Council, I have been a fighter and problem solver for the public interest, taking on big-moneyed interests to protect our environment, our communities and our children. I have tried, managed, and/or overseen cases in a variety of courts at the state, local, and federal level. At the same time, I have worked with diametrically opposed parties and decision-makers in the executive branch and at the Statehouse to craft solutions that are fair, just, and forward-thinking. Most of all, by providing representation to people who are faced with issues impacting their lives and livelihoods, I gave a voice to those who may not otherwise have had the ways and means to seek justice.
(3) Why are you running for this particular court seat?
Municipal Court truly is the People’s Court. People find themselves before the court for varying reasons and with varying underlying factors contributing to what brought them to court. Yet, no matter their situation, our neighbors expect and deserve their rights respected, their interests heard, and ultimately, a fair decision. For my entire career as a lawyer, that is exactly what I have done for people in Central Ohio and people in all corners of the state. I have dedicated my career to serving the public interest by working for the dignity of individuals who had nowhere to turn. By utilizing the principle that true justice comes from compassion, I have seen that helping an individual seek fairness helps the entire community grow. In our Municipal Court, that same compassion for people and respect for the law can both change the trajectory of individuals’ lives and at the same time serve and protect the people of this community as a whole. I believe that my broad and unique experience, my dedication to fairness to individuals and communities, and my passion for serving the public will serve as an asset to the growth of the Franklin County community that I have called home my entire life.