This article is part of the Voters Guide produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area.
Description of Race/Referendum:
Full term commencing Jan. 1, 2025.
To view the complete profile of candidates, visit Judicial Votes Count.
Michael Donnelly
Democrat
Candidate Email: mikedonnelly@me.com
Training / Experience: Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor, 1992–1997 Attorney, Civil Litigation, Davis & Young, Cleveland, Ohio, 1997-1999 Attorney, Civil Litigation, Climaco, Lefkowitz, Peca, Wilcox & Garofoli, Cleveland, Ohio 1999–2004 Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge, 2005–2018 Associate Justice, Ohio Supreme Court, 2019 to present
Website: donnellyforjustice.com
Facebook: facebook.com/DonnellyforSupremeCourt
Education: Graduate, Saint Ignatius High School, 1984 B.A. from John Carroll University, 1988 Juris Doctorate, Cleveland State University College of Law, 1991
List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge, 2005–2018
Ohio Supreme Court, 2019 to present.
During my career I held the following positions:
Member/Chair OSC Commission on Professionalism
Trustee, Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association
Member/VP Ohio Common Pleas Judges Association
Member, Ohio Jury Instruction Committee
Member, Ohio State Board of Bar Examiners
Member, OSC Death Penalty Task Force
OSC’s liaison to the Task Force on Conviction Integrity and Post-Conviction Review
I helped establish the nationally acclaimed Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program.
I was one of two Ohio judges invited to participate in the National Judicial College’s ‚ÄúInnovative Leadership Skills for Leader- Manager Judges Project,‚Äù which iempowers future leaders to improve the functionality of the judicial system.
As a faculty member of the Ohio Judicial College, I teach attorneys and judges at numerous continuing-legal-education seminars on professionalism and issues related to criminal and civil justice reform and procedural fairness.
What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
As an assistant prosecutor and litigator who represented plaintiffs and defendants, I gained extensive experience in the wide variety of cases heard in Common Pleas Court. Trying serious felonies and negotiating plea agreements provided me with critical insight into what did and didn’t work in the criminal justice system that proved invaluable when I was elected to the bench.
My work as a civil litigator taught me that “justice delayed is justice denied” is not a cliché, it is a painful truth that harms everyone involved in the civil and criminal judicial system.
People iwho have personal injury claims can find themselves on the brink of financial ruin as they wait years for their case to be tried or settled.
Criminal defendants can be incarcerated for long periods pre-trial while victims and their families wait years for justice to be done.
And the costs associated with complex business litigation mount exponentially as litigants endure inordinate delays.
With those factors in mind, I resolved to do everything in my power as a judge to expedite cases. I assured litigants I would be available to quickly and efficiently resolve any impasse related to discovery. I provide parties with case management orders that included ruling dates set far enough in advance of the trial date so that neither party would incur potentially unnecessary trial expense while awaiting a ruling from me and I made it a point to provide every litigant with the highest degree of trial date certainty.
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
I first ran for the Supreme Court to rebuild public faith in the judicial system and to serve as an independent, impartial Justice Ohioans could trust to uphold the Constitution and ensure that every person received equal treatment under the law.
I am seeking reelection to improve our justice system. The need for a strong, independent voice like mine on a court that has become increasingly politicized is greater than ever.
To combat the belief that the justice system is fundamentally unfair, I’ll continue collaborating with judges, prosecutors, attorneys, elected officials, and community leaders to support the adoption of policies that will:
Promote the use of data to assure equity in sentencing
Combat wrongful convictions
Close Ohio’s justice gap
Eliminate backroom, false, and dark plea agreements
Make Ohio’s courts more transparent, equitable, accountable, and efficient
Along with leading the reform movement during my first term, I profoundly influenced the most meaningful cases to come before the court in decades. My independent votes and opinions, including dissents that highlighted issues of law misconstrued or ignored by my colleagues, played a critical role in:
Defending democracy
Preserving the right to vote on the Reproductive Freedom Amendment
Ending a multi-million-dollar First Energy surcharge
Strengthening labor rights
My allegiance to the Constitution and the people who expect and deserve nothing less than independence and equal justice under law rather than partisan politics or ideology will continue to guide my work.
Megan Shanahan
Republican
Candidate Email: shanahanforohio@gmail.com
Training/Experience: Butler County Prosecutor’s Office, Assistant Prosecutor, Appellate division, (2000-2001)
Website: shanahanforohio.com
Facebook: facebook.com/shanahanforohio
Education: Kent State University, Bachelor of Arts (1995) The University of Cincinnati, College of Law, Juris Doctrate (2000)
List your judicial experience (courts and years)
Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge, 2011-2015
Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge, 2015-Present
What about your non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?
I have spent more than two decades in the justice system. Prior to becomming a judge, I worked as an assistant county prosecutor for more than a decade handling every type of criminal case from the lowest misdemeanor to death penalty murder cases. I also handled many civil cases in the prosecutor’s office and as a city solicitor for Mt. Healthy. This combined experience gives me a rare insight into the justice system and helps my work as a judge immensely. I am the youngest of 8 children from a working class family. I understand the value of hard work. My background and professional experience has helped me become a firm but fair judge who ensures justice is done.
Why are you running for this particular court seat?
The most important job of a judge is to ensure justice and protect the community. I intend to continue serving our great state in this manner. As a common pleas court judge, I preside over the most serious criminal cases and most complex civil cases. As a judge, I serve as an impartial referee in the courtroom. I conduct myself with a transparent, no-nonsense, plain-spoken approach to every case. As a common pleas court judge, I have handled virtually every type of case that is heard at the Supreme Court level.
A stable and predictable legal environment is essential to allow Ohio to prosper. I am a firm believer in following what the law says, not promoting a personal or social agenda. I will strictly apply the law as it is written and adhere to the plain language of the constitution. When our Supreme Court follows this approach, a stable, predictable and equitable environment is created for Ohio residents and businesses. My professional and personal history render me highly qualified to serve as your next Ohio Supreme Court Justice.
