Governor Mike DeWine appointed Republican Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters to fill a vacancy on the Ohio Supreme Court (OSC).
Deters will fill the seat that Justice Sharon Kennedy is vacating at the end of the year to replace Maureen O’Connor as chief justice. O’Connor is stepping down at the end of the year due to Ohio’s age limit for judges. One may not run for a seat on any Ohio court if one is more than 70 years of age. This limit often forces the retirement of long-time justices.
Today, I accepted an appointment to the Ohio Supreme Court from @GovMikeDeWine. Quite simply, it is the honor of a lifetime.
I have spent my entire career standing up for victims and protecting the rights of criminal defendants. I appreciate the trust and responsibility… 1/2
— Joe Deters (@JosephTDeters) December 22, 2022
The state Supreme Court is the highest court in Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution.
The OSC has one chief justice and six justices, all elected to their positions. Last year, Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 80, which allowed partisan elections for the Ohio Supreme Court and appellate court elections. Ohio now joins seven other states participating in partisan elections for their state supreme court positions. There are currently four Republicans, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, Justice Sharon Kennedy, Justice Patrick Fischer, and Justice Patrick DeWine, and three Democrats, Justice Michael Donnelly, Justice Melody Stewart, and Justice Jennifer Brunner, on OSC.
According to DeWine, Deters has the appropriate experience necessary to perform the job.
“Joe Deters has the right combination of experience, legal knowledge, and passion for public service that will serve the citizens of Ohio well as an associate justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Joe is a long-serving and well-regarded public servant who is known for his legal intellect, reverence for the rule of law, and his accessibility,” DeWine said.
Deters has never been a judge or magistrate before. He served as the prosecutor in Hamilton County from 1992 to 1999 and again starting in 2005. He was recently elected to a five-year term in 2020 after serving two terms as Ohio Treasurer. Before being elected as Hamilton County Prosecutor, Deters served as clerk of courts for Hamilton County.
According to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Deters will be someone Ohioans can trust to serve on the state Supreme Court.
“Joe Deters is a well-respected legal mind and someone we can trust to not legislate from the bench,” LaRose said.
“It is the honor of a lifetime to accept this appointment to the Ohio Supreme Court. I have spent my entire career standing up for victims and protecting the rights of criminal defendants. I appreciate the trust and responsibility that comes with this appointment and look forward to working with my colleagues on the Supreme Court to ensure Ohio’s justice system protects the rights of all Ohioans,” Deters said.
Deters will be sworn in on January 7th, 2023, and must run for election in 2024.
According to the Chairman of the Hamilton County GOP, Alex Triantafilou, under Ohio law, the Hamilton County Republican Party Central Committee has the authority to select Deters replacement as Hamilton County Prosecutor, who will serve until the next general election in November 2024.
With the selection of a Republican to fill the vacant seat, the GOP gains a four to three majority.
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Hannah Poling is a lead reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Hannah on Twitter @HannahPoling1. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Mike DeWine” by Mike DeWine. Photo “Joe Deters” by Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney. Background Photo “Ohio Supreme Court” by Joffre Essley. CC BY-SA 2.0.
