Gov. Mike DeWine appoints ex-Treasurer Joe Deters to the Ohio Supreme Court

COLUMBUS, Ohio—Gov. Mike DeWine introduced Thursday he has appointed former state treasurer and Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters to the Ohio Supreme Courtroom.

Deters, a 65-year-old Republican, will take the seat at the moment held by Republican Justice Sharon Kennedy, who was elected chief justice final month. He will probably be sworn in on Jan. 7. Judicial appointments don’t should be confirmed by the Ohio Senate.

“Joe Deters has the best mixture of expertise, authorized data and fervour for public service that can serve the residents of Ohio effectively as an affiliate justice of the Ohio Supreme Courtroom,” DeWine mentioned in a press release. “Joe is a long-serving and well-regarded public servant who is thought for his authorized mind, reverence for the rule of legislation and his accessibility.”

Deters’ time period will expire in 2024, after which he should run for a full six-year time period with the intention to stay on the courtroom.

In a press release, Deters mentioned the appointment is the consideration of a lifetime.

“I’ve spent my whole profession standing up for victims and defending the rights of prison defendants,” Deters mentioned. “I respect the belief and duty that comes with this appointment and stay up for working with my colleagues on the Supreme Courtroom to make sure Ohio’s justice system protects the rights of all Ohioans.”

DeWine thought-about a handful of different decisions for Kennedy’s seat, together with Ben Flowers, the state solicitor basic who works for Legal professional Normal Dave Yost, and Megan Shanahan, a Hamilton County Frequent Pleas choose.

Deters has a fame for being powerful on crime. Throughout a seven-year stretch as county prosecutor, he sought the demise penalty 120 instances. In 2018, shortly earlier than Ohio executions had been placed on maintain due to
issues acquiring lethal-injection medicine, Deters informed a reporter that death-penalty appeals “take too rattling lengthy” and advised Ohio use firing squads for executions.

After incomes a bachelor’s diploma and legislation diploma from the College of Cincinnati, Deters labored as an assistant prosecutor earlier than he was elected Hamilton County clerk of courts in 1988. He then served as Hamilton County prosecutor for six years earlier than he was elected state treasurer in 1998, then reelected in 2002.

Deters aimed to run for Ohio lawyer basic in 2006, however that dream ended after three of his associates – together with his ex-chief of employees Matt Borges, who was arrested in 2020 for his alleged position within the Home Invoice 6 bribery scandal – pleaded responsible to misdemeanor prices associated to steering state enterprise to Deters marketing campaign donors. Deters himself was by no means charged as a part of the scandal and has denied any wrongdoing.

Deters resigned in the midst of his second time period as treasurer to efficiently run for Hamilton County prosecutor once more. He has since been reelected 4 instances, most just lately in 2020.

The appointment of Deters to the courtroom implies that Republicans will preserve a 4-3 majority on the Ohio Supreme Courtroom even after the retirement of the present chief justice, Republican Maureen O’Connor.

O’Connor was loudly criticized by Republicans after she joined the courtroom’s three Democrats in repeatedly hanging down GOP-authored redistricting maps final yr. Deters, together with the remainder of the courtroom, will possible need to revisit the problem of redistricting when state lawmakers and the Ohio Redistricting Fee cross new maps for the 2024 election, although the courtroom is predicted to be far friendlier to GOP lawmakers after O’Connor’s departure.

Within the coming months, the courtroom will possible additionally hear a problem to Ohio’s new six-week abortion limits, that are at the moment on maintain as they’re being heard in decrease courts.