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The Columbus Bar Association provides nonpartisan resources to help you make informed decisions about judicial elections in Franklin County. Learn about candidates through our Judge the Candidates website.
We think you deserve impartial, nonpartisan information about your judges and judicial candidates. This site has been created as a resource to help you make an informed decision when it is time to elect judges for Franklin County courts.
Voters elect judges for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas and Court of Appeals Tenth District on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
Click the links below to learn about the candidates before you cast your ballot. As a local bar association, our focus is on local judges; if you are looking for information on judicial candidates in others areas throughout Ohio, view the Additional Resource located at the end of the page.
JUDGE OF COURT OF APPEALS 10TH DISTRICT
For term commencing February 9, 2027:
Hon. Michael C. Mentel,
For term commencing July 1, 2027:
Hon. Terri Jamison
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS (General Division)
For term commencing February 9, 2027:
Hon. Andy Miller
For term commencing January 1, 2027:
Hon. Carl Aveni
For term commencing July 2, 2027:
Hon. Chris Brown
For term commencing July 1, 2027:
Hon. David Young
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS (Probate)
For term commencing February 9, 2027:
Chris Junga
For term commencing February 9, 2027:
Magistrate Kelly Green
JUDGE OF THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS (Domestic Relations Division)
For term commencing January 2, 2027:
Kelley Gabrielle Boller
For term commencing January 3, 2027:
Hon. Lasheyl N. Stroud
Candidates are independently evaluated by the Columbus Bar Association Judiciary Committee through interviews, review of questionnaire answers and past performance evaluations, if applicable. The Committee changed its ranking system in 2021; all candidates were rated on a scale of 1 - 5 stars, with 5 stars being the highest ranking. To receive a ranking of 1 star, more than 70 percent of the votes had to be cast in that category. In all other cases, the candidate was designated 2, 3, 4 or 5 stars, whichever of those designations had a majority of the votes.
See below for the Columbus Bar Judiciary Committee findings.
The Committee findings are reported to the Columbus Bar Board of Governors. The Board oversees the Committee's procedures to ensure compliance with the Committee's bylaws. The Board concluded that the Judiciary Committee properly followed the required procedures.
Judiciary Committee BylawsWhat types of cases do Ohio's county courts handle?
Every Ohio county has a Court of Common Pleas, which is the court of first instance for felonies and certain high-value civil cases. In many counties there are also Municipal Courts which operate in a defined territory and handle traffic offenses and misdemeanor criminal cases and smaller civil matters. In Franklin County, the Municipal Court has an Environmental Division which handles violations of local housing, building, fire, zoning, health, waste collection, animal licensing, animal abuse, and pollution codes.
In counties with large populations (such as Franklin County), the jurisdiction of the Common Pleas Court may be divided into several specific departments, including a Probate Court (which handles wills, adoptions, and issues marriage licenses), a Juvenile Court, or a Domestic Relations Court. In Franklin County, the Court of Common Pleas is divided into two departments: the General Division and the Juvenile/Domestic Relations division. Franklin County also has a separate Probate Court.
How are judges selected in Ohio?
In Ohio, judges are currently elected by the voters. Judges in Ohio serve six-year terms and are elected in a partisan primary, followed by a non-partisan general election. This means that judges do not have a party label next to their names on the ballot. Common Pleas Court judges are elected in even-numbered years, Municipal Court judges in odd-numbered years.
Ohio's judicial elections are non-partisan
Due to the non-partisan nature of a judge's role, Ohio law does not permit the identification of political party on the ballot for judicial candidates.
Overview of Franklin County CourtsThe information included on this site is limited to candidates for judicial office in Franklin County, Ohio. If you are looking for additional information about these candidates, or judicial candidates in others areas throughout Ohio, including the Supreme Court, below are some links to help you make an informed decision about the candidates.
Election/Voting Information
Find your polling location
VoteOhio.gov - Ohio Secretary of State
Franklin County Board of Elections
Other Sources for Candidate Information
Judicial Votes Count - Information about Judicial Elections Throughout Ohio
League of Women Voters - Columbus