Sharon L. Kennedy


Sharon Lee Kennedy is a jurist from Hamilton, Ohio who was elected to the Supreme Court of Ohio on November 6, 2012.

Early life and education

Sharon L. Kennedy was born March 15, 1962 in Hamilton County, Ohio. She graduated from Northwest High School in 1980, and from the University of Cincinnati School of Social Work with a bachelor's degree in 1984 and she a received a Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1991.

Professional career

Kennedy was a police officer with the Hamilton, Ohio Police Department from 1985 to 1989. She was then a law clerk for Judge Matthew J. Crehan and director of the victim/witness division for the Butler County Court of Common Pleas from 1989 to 1991.
After receiving a law degree, Kennedy was:
From 1999 to 2012, Kennedy was Judge and, since 2005, Administrative Judge of the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, for Butler County.
Kennedy entered the March 6, 2012 Republican Party primary election for the unexpired term ending December 31, 2014 on the Supreme Court of Ohio. She ran unopposed, and received 753,072 complimentary votes. On November 6, 2012, she defeated incumbent Democratic candidate Yvette McGee Brown, who had been appointed to the seat on January 1, 2011 by Ohio Governor Ted Strickland. She was sworn in December 7, 2012, after the election was certified.

Personal

Kennedy is single. She lives in Liberty Township, Butler County, Ohio. She has been a member of the Butler County Bar Association since 1991 and a member of the Federalist Society since 2012.