Candidate for Ohio Supreme Court Justice (term beginning Jan 2, 2027)
Jennifer Brunner
DemocraticIncumbent
Jennifer Brunner, a Democrat, has served on the Ohio Supreme Court since January 2021 and is seeking a second six-year term. She previously served as Ohio Secretary of State and as a judge on the Tenth District Court of Appeals and the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. Her campaign emphasizes fairness, equality and respect, and her experience at all three levels of Ohio's judiciary.
- Current or most recent role
- Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio
- Hometown
- Columbiana County (born in Springfield; long-time Columbus resident)
- Campaign website
- justicebrunner.com
Why they say you should vote for them
The candidate's own case to voters, summarized from their campaign and public statements.
- Says she has served at all three levels of Ohio's judiciary: trial court, court of appeals and Supreme Court.[1]
- Says "justice is about fairness, equality and respect for all people" and that the court's cases affect workers, small businesses, families and consumers.[1]
- Highlights founding Franklin County's adult felony drug court in 2004, which she says helps people move away from crime and addiction.[1],[2]
- Asks voters to "re-elect a Justice who works for you."[1]
Background
- Justice, Supreme Court of Ohio · 2021–present[2]
- Democratic nominee for Chief Justice (lost to Sharon Kennedy), Ohio Supreme Court election · 2022[2],[3]
- Judge, Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals · 2014–2020[2]
- Ohio Secretary of State, State of Ohio · 2007–2011[2]
- Judge, Franklin County Court of Common Pleas · 2000–2005[2]
- Attorney in private practice (founded her own firm in 1988), Private practice · 17 years[2],[4]
Education
Approach to the court
- Judicial PhilosophyCompares a judge to a referee whose calls are trusted only if the result is not decided in advance, and says her philosophy has not changed as the court's makeup has shifted.[5]
- Elections & DemocracyFiled a 2023 federal lawsuit challenging Ohio's law requiring party labels on ballots for Supreme Court and appellate races, arguing the labels make judges appear more partisan.[6]
- Access to JusticeSays justice means fairness, equality and respect for all people, including fair compensation and recovery time for injured workers and balanced rules that let small businesses compete.[1]
- Public SafetyLists safety for families at home, on foot and while driving, and protection from fraud and phone scams, among the kinds of matters the court decides; founded a treatment-focused adult felony drug court as a trial judge.[1],[2]
Notable cases
Selected cases in which this judge wrote or joined an opinion.
| Case | Role | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Doe v. Columbus, 2026-Ohio-1095 Court held 5-2 that Columbus could immediately appeal a preliminary injunction blocking two city gun ordinances; Brunner wrote a dissent. (Supreme Court of Ohio) | Dissent[7] | Apr 1, 2026 |
| State v. King, 2026-Ohio-2656 Court held 4-3 that prosecutors may seek leave to appeal a judge's post-verdict judgment of acquittal, overruling a 1987 precedent; Brunner joined the opinion concurring in part and dissenting in part. (Supreme Court of Ohio) | Dissent[8] | Jul 14, 2026 |
| In re Application of Oak Run Solar Project, L.L.C., 2026-Ohio-1849 Court reversed the Power Siting Board's permit for a Madison County solar project over missing visual renderings; Brunner dissented, finding the board adequately considered visual impacts. (Supreme Court of Ohio) | Dissent[9] | May 26, 2026 |
| Neuro-Communication Servs., Inc. v. Cincinnati Ins. Co., 2022-Ohio-4379 Held 6-1 that COVID-19 and shutdown-related loss of use did not cause a "direct physical loss" under a commercial property policy; Brunner wrote the majority opinion. (Supreme Court of Ohio) | Majority[10] | Dec 12, 2022 |
| In re Application of Icebreaker Windpower, Inc., 2022-Ohio-2742 Upheld 6-1 the Power Siting Board's certificate for a six-turbine wind project in Lake Erie; Brunner wrote the majority opinion. (Supreme Court of Ohio) | Majority[11] | Aug 10, 2022 |
In their words
Sources
- Re-elect Justice Jennifer Brunner (home page), Brunner campaign
- Justice Jennifer Brunner, Supreme Court of Ohio
- Republican judges vie for chance to challenge Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner, Statehouse News Bureau, April 14, 2026
- About Justice Brunner, Brunner campaign
- Last Democrat on Ohio Supreme Court Adjusts to Going It Alone, Bloomberg Law, January 28, 2025
- Ohio Supreme Court justice sues to remove partisan labels from judicial races, WOSU, November 8, 2023
- Columbus Can Appeal Trial Court's Preliminary Injunction of Gun Laws, Court News Ohio, April 1, 2026
- Prosecutor Can Appeal Judge's Decision to Overturn Jury's Guilty Verdict, Court News Ohio, July 14, 2026
- 6,000-acre solar project permit nixed by Ohio Supreme Court, for now at least, Associated Press / Signal Ohio (via Cleveland 19), May 27, 2026
- Neuro-Communication Services, Inc. v. Cincinnati Insurance Co. (case summary), Court News Ohio, December 12, 2022
- In re Application of Icebreaker Windpower Inc. (case summary), Court News Ohio, August 10, 2022
Photo: Official portrait, Supreme Court of Ohio (Government-issued official portrait).
Last reviewed October 9, 2026. Spot an error or something missing? Report a correction.
Also running for Ohio Supreme Court Justice (term beginning Jan 2, 2027)
- Colleen O'Donnell (Republican)