Three Ohio Supreme Court seats are on the general election for 2016, and seven are running for the Tuesday primary election. Current justices Judith Ann Lanzinger and Paul Pfeifer have reached the retirement age, while Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor is incumbent and running unopposed.

Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor’s Chair

Candidate: Maureen O’Connor

Incumbent

Party Affiliation: Republican

Experience:

Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice 2011-2016

Ohio Supreme Court Justice 2002-2010

Ohio Lieutenant Governor 1998-2002

Summit County Prosecuting Attorney 1995-1997

Summit County Court of Common Pleas Judge 1993-1995

Summit County Probate Court Magistrate 1985-1993

Private Practice Attorney 1980-1984

Education:

J.D. Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

Bachelor’s Degree Seton Hill University

Notable moment: In O’Connor’s election to Chief Justice in 2010, she defeated Chief Justice Eric Brown with 67.58 percent of the vote.

Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger’s Chair 

Candidate: Pat Fischer

Party Affiliation: Republican

Experience:

Ohio First District Court of Appeals Judge 2011-2019

Private Practice Attorney

Education:

J.D. Harvard Law School

Bachelor’s Harvard Univeristy

Notable moment: Fischer served as the President of the Cincinnati Bar Association from 2006 to 2007.

Candidate: John O’Donnell

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Experience:

Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division Judge 2007-2019

Terrence J. Kenneally & Associates Attorney 2005-2006

Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas General Division Judge 2002-2005

Cincinnati Staff Counsel 1999-2002

Gallagher Sharp Attorney 1997-1999

Meyers, Hentemann & Rea Attorney 1993-1997

Education:

J.D. Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

Bachelor’s Degree Miami Univeristy

Notable moment: O’Donnell faced incumbent justice Judith French in the 2014 Ohio Supreme Court General Election, losing with 44 percent of the vote.

  

Candidate: Colleen O’Toole

Incumbent

Party Affiliation: Republican

Experience:

Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals Judge 2005-2019

Law Offices of Collen M. O’Toole 1998

Kramer and Niermann, LPA Counsel 1995-1997

Cuyahoga County Public Defender’s Office Attorney 1991-1994

Education:

J.D. Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

Bachelor’s Degree John Carroll University

Notable moment: O’Toole was elected to the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals in 2005 and went up for re-election in 2010, losing in the Republican primary Eugene Lucci. O’Toole was eventually elected to the court again in 2012. She has also served as an adjunct professor at Kent State.

 

Justice Paul Pfeifer’s Chair

 

Candidate: Pat DeWine

Current Ohio Attorney General

Party Affiliation: Republican

Age: 64

Experience:

Ohio First District Court of Appeals Judge 2013-2019

Hamilton County Court of Pleas

Keating, Muething & Klekamp Attorney

Education:

J.D. University of Michigan Law School

Bachelor’s Degree Miami University

Notable moment: DeWine was elected to the Court of Appeals with more than 61 percent of the vote. He is also the son of former U.S. Senator Mike DeWine.

 

 

Candidate: Cynthia Rice

Party Affiliation: Democrat

Experience:

Eleventh District Court of Appeals Judge 2002-2021

United States Attorney’s Office, Department of Justice, Youngstown, Assistant U.S. Attorney 1999-2002

Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor 1991-1999

Private Practice Attorney 1989-1993

Education:

J.D. University of Akron School of Law

Bachelor’s Degree Purdue University

Notable moment: Rice was part of the development of Youngstown’s first “Weed and Seed” program, which sought to prevent violent crimes, drug trafficking and gangs while rebuilding services in high-crime urban areas.