The Supreme Court of Ohio
& The Ohio Judicial System

On Tuesday, July 17, 2012, the Supreme Court of Ohio launched an expanded news program – Court News Ohio – that features stories about the Ohio judicial system. This archived page on the Supreme Court’s website only displays news stories that occurred before that date. News stories that occurred on July 17 and thereafter can be found at www.courtnewsohio.gov.

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Nov. 3, 2010
160 Judicial Posts Decided Tuesday

48 of them contested with six incumbents losing

In Tuesday’s general election, Ohio voters selected Justice Maureen O’Connor to become the first woman Chief Justice in the 207-year history of the state. Her term will begin on Jan. 1, 2011. Unofficial results also indicate that of the 160 judicial posts on the ballot, 48 seats were contested. Out of that total, six incumbents were defeated.

Staff at the Supreme Court of Ohio assembles the election results from the local county boards of elections for administrative purposes and to communicate with new judges about payroll, benefits and judicial orientation sessions. All judges in Ohio stand for election and serve six-year terms.

Among the highlights of this year’s judicial races:

• In the other contested Supreme Court race, Justice Judith Ann Lanzinger won re-election to her second six-year term. She has served on the Court since 2005.
• Justice Paul E. Pfeifer, who was unopposed, won re-election to a new six-year term. Justice Pfeifer has been on the Court since 1993.
• On the Ohio courts of appeals, 27 of the 69 seats were on the ballot, with 12 contested. Two incumbent appeals court judges were defeated.
• Thirty-two of the 120 common pleas court judgeships were contested. Three incumbents were defeated.
• Two of 10 county court positions were contested, but all the incumbents will remain in office.

The defeated incumbents were as follows:

• Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Brown was defeated by Justice O’Connor.
• First District Court of Appeals Judge William L. Mallory Jr. was defeated by Patrick F. Fischer.
• Sixth District Court of Appeals Judge Kelia D. Cosme was defeated by former judge Stephen A. Yarbrough.
• Clermont County Common Pleas Court Judge W. Kenneth Zuk was defeated by Richard Ferenc.
• Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Bridget McCafferty was defeated by Michael Astrab.
• Franklin County Probate Court Judge Alan Acker was defeated by Robert Montgomery.

The Supreme Court Judicial College will conduct the first of two required training sessions for new judges on Dec. 13-17 in Columbus.

View the complete report of judicial election results. These results are not official and are subject to change. At least two results may be subject to a recount: the 11^th District Court of Appeals race between Lake County Common Pleas Court Judge Eugene Lucci and attorney Thomas R. Wright and the race between Richland County Domestic Relations Judge Robert Konstam and attorney Heather Cockley.

For complete official results, consult the Web site of the Ohio Secretary of State: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/SOS/ or contact your local county board of election.

Supreme Court Contacts: Chris Davey or Bret Crow at 614.387.9250.