Candidates
Candidate Profiles
Stephanie Hanna
Candidate for:
Franklin County Common Pleas Court, Domestic Relations/Juvenile Division
Undergraduate Education:
Michigan State University Broad College of Business, B.A., Business Administration
Legal Education:
University of Toledo College of Law, Juris Doctor
Legal Experience:
- Founder/Owner, The Other 85 (July, 2018 - Present)
- Senior Manager of Member Outreach and Engagement, Ohio State Bar Association (March, 2015 - June, 2018)
- Attorney, Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP (October, 2013 - March, 2015)
- Staff Attorney, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division (January, 2013 - October, 2013)
- Magistrate, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations/Juvenile (December, 2012 - January, 2013)
- Staff Attorney, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations/Juvenile (March, 2011 - January, 2013)
- The Hanna Law Firm LLC (September, 2009 - March, 2011)
- Assistant City Prosecutor, City of Tiffin (September, 2009 - March, 2011)
- Assistant City Prosecutor, City of Lancaster (June, 2009 - August, 2009)
Candidate Statement:
(In response to the question, "Please explain why you believe you are qualified for the judicial position for which you are seeking election.")
I am best qualified for this judgeship because of my experience, compassion, temperament, and work ethic.
Experience. I have significant experience in domestic relations/juvenile court as well as other positions that directly impact this role. I have served as a staff attorney to a domestic relations/juvenile judge where I have drafted hundreds of decisions and entries and managed a busy docket. I have experience as a prosecutor, solo practitioner, and business owner. I am also a step-parent and know firsthand the complexities of parenting arrangements and how this court has a major impact on family decisions. All these experiences allow me to uniquely understand the needs of the parties that come before the Court.
I have spent most of my career inside the courtroom. I know what it takes to try a case, manage a docket, run a courtroom, and instill confidence in our judicial system in the public. My calm, even demeanor has helped me throughout my career and will be a staple for me on the bench. Coupled with my can-do attitude, ability to get things done, involvement in the community, commitment to the justice system, and desire to serve, I know I have the skills and traits that will make me a great addition to our bench.
Compassion. I have a high level of compassion and desire to do more with this position in addition to issuing decisions. I want to use this position to truly impact our community inside and outside of the courtroom walls. I will mentor, encourage, and motivate the people that come before me to leave stronger than they came. Understanding that many juveniles will come before me and their interaction with the court can truly make or break their future, I will bring a high level of compassion to this role. Further, I will make sure that me and my staff are continuously trained on our implicit biases so we can identify them and learn ways to make sure they do not creep into our decision-making.
I know first-hand the immediate and lasting impact a visit to the courthouse has on individuals. I also know that the demeanor and experience of the judge before whom a litigant appears can have a dramatic impact on the entire experience. I will be a judge that helps build and maintain confidence in our system of courts. I want to make a positive difference in our community and allow the public to feel they have access to a fair and impartial justice system. I fully understand that with such a great honor to serve comes a great responsibility. A responsibility to act professionally, honorably, and to maintain the dignity of the office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I appreciate that once you are in this role, you are never off.
Work Ethic. I will bring a strong work ethic to this position that will allow parties to get timely decisions so they can move forward with their lives. This Court is the busiest in the state and I am running for a seat that was created to help alleviate the high caseloads. My staff and I will answer our phones every time we hear them ring, respond to emails and voice mails, be timely, and work full days. There will also be no question as to my temperament - it will be consistent, even-keeled, approachable, resolution-oriented. Families depend on the decisions that come out of this court.
Innovation. I will bring a fresh perspective and new ideas for how we can move cases along and give people the decisions they are looking for. I have several ideas for ways we can move things along - Saturday Court, continuing to have remote hearings, implement processes to make sure dissolution and uncontested divorce paperwork is completed ahead of time to ensure resolution at the time of the hearing, restructuring the order and way cases are heard, and allowing attorneys, clients, and witnesses to be present virtually when possible.
Columbus Bar Association
2020 Judiciary Committee Finding:
Recommended
Columbus Bar Association Judicial Poll Results:
2020 Judicial Preference Poll
Running Against:
Magistrate Lasheyl N. Stroud