History is in the making. Justice Jennifer Brunner announced Tuesday that she will be running for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, the highest-ranking position in Ohio’s judiciary system. If she wins the election next year, she will become the first Democratic Chief Justice in Ohio since 1986.
Justice Jennifer Brunner has been working in law for over 20 years and has over a decade of private law experience. A Springfield native, Brunner earned her J.D. from Capital University Law School in 1982. She worked her way up, eventually becoming the first woman to serve as Secretary of State in Ohio. Her long list of accomplishments includes serving as a Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge, receiving the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, and instating the Voting Right Institute in order to improve voting access in Ohio.
Brunner won her current Ohio Supreme Court seat in last year’s election, edging out Republican Judi French. Her work largely revolves around improve the court system. “Administrative and policy leadership of the court is not about an ideology of who should win and who should lose,” wrote Brunner. “It is about a belief and understanding that courts are only as effective as people believe them to be. Good judges and fair courts can make all the difference in the confidence Ohioans have in their judiciary. And that confidence makes our courts more effective.”
You can read her statement on why she’s running for Chief Justice below:
“I’m running for Chief Justice because justice matters for every Ohioan. Steady and principled leadership of the state’s highest court is essential to helping Ohioans realize justice in their everyday lives,” said Brunner. “I know that courts can do good things for people—protect their health, safety, and welfare—with fairness, equality, and respect. And I am committed to doing this every day now and as Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court.”