Justice
Joseph T. Deters

Justice Joseph T. Deters serves as the 163^rd Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio. Following an initial appointment by Governor Mike DeWine in January 2023 Justice Deters secured a full six-year term in the November 2024 election. His judicial philosophy is rooted in a strict adherence to the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions, emphasizing judicial restraint and separation of powers amongst our coequal branches of government.

Inspired by his grandfather, former Hamilton County Sheriff Dan Tehan, Justice Deters has spent his career in public service. He is the longest-tenured Prosecuting Attorney in Hamilton County history, serving for more than 25 years (1992-1999 and 2005-2023). During his time as Prosecutor, he pioneered significant reforms, including:

• Victim Advocacy: Creating the first victim/witness advocate program.
• Specialized Courts: Establishing Ohio’s first drug court in 2010, called Hamilton County’s Drug Treatment and Recovery Court, to address the addiction crisis, and helped to develop several diversion programs for first-time, non-violent offenders.
• Specialized Units: Creating a Sex Offender Unit in 2005 to address sex offender registration and residency restrictions and formed a unit focused solely on violent crimes against women and children.

Beyond the prosecutor’s office, Justice Deters served two terms as Ohio’s 44^th Treasurer of State (1999-2005), managing over $11 billion in state assets, and previously served as Hamilton County Clerk of Courts (1988-1992).

Justice Deters remains active in the legal and academic communities. He has served as Xavier University’s inaugural “Justice in Residence” since 2023. In this honorary role, Justice Deters engages with the campus community through key activities, including:

• Guest Lecturing: Visits classrooms to share his legal expertise with students, particularly those in the Philosophy, Politics, and the Public (PPP) honors program.
• Student Mentorship: Provides guidance to students interested in pursuing careers in law and public service.

Justice Deters currently serves on the Cincinnati Bar Association’s Kiely Award Committee and is a member of the Ohio State and American Bar Associations. He previously served on the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees, the Ohio Organized Crime Commission, and the Southern Ohio Leukemia Foundation.

A double alumnus of the University of Cincinnati, Justice Deters was the recipient of U.C. Law School’s Nicholas Longworth, III, Alumni Achievement Award for outstanding contributions in legal practice, and public and community service (1997). 

Justice Deters and his wife, Tanya, live in Cincinnati and have a large family of six children and two grandchildren.