Daniel is from Columbus. He holds a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Bowling Green State University and a law degree from the Ohio State University College of Law. He is married to his wife, Amy, with whom he has 3 children. Their family attends St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Westerville. 

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Daniel previously worked as an environmental judge for the Franklin County Municipal Court and as the director of the special victims unit for the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office. 

Ballotpedia, Dan Hawkins (Ohio)

Daniel R. Hawkins currently serves as a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge. He was elected to this position in 2018 and is serving his first term. 

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Wants to ensure neighborhoods in Ohio are safe places to live and work.

Said to ensure transparency, he will write decisions that are "firmly grounded constitution and it's written in such a way that everyday Ohioans can understand."

Supports technology use for judges and courts to adapt to current times and improve efficiency in the court system while upholding integrity.

Wants to "keep politics out of the courtroom..."

Supports the role of precedent in judicial decisions, saying if a prior decision is "clearly erroneous, clearly unconstitutional...we need to overturn that."

- Wants to ensure neighborhoods in Ohio are safe places to live and work.
- Said to ensure transparency, he will write decisions that are "firmly grounded constitution and it's written in such a way that everyday Ohioans can understand."
- Supports technology use for judges and courts to adapt to current times and improve efficiency in the court system while upholding integrity.
- Wants to "keep politics out of the courtroom..."
- Supports judicial restraint.
- Supports the role of precedent in judicial decisions, saying if a prior decision is "clearly erroneous, clearly unconstitutional...we need to overturn that."

Judicial Administration

As of June 24, 2025, Daniel R. Hawkins’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Judicial Philosophy

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Judicial Votes Count, Daniel R Hawkins Supreme Court of Ohio

As a court of common pleas judge, Hawkins reviews the decisions of certain state administrative agencies, issues marriage licenses, administers divorce, spousal support, parental custody, adoption, and eminent domain proceedings, and oversees criminal felony cases, civil suits with alleged damages over $15,000, and cases involving individuals under 18 who are abused, neglected, or parentless.

As director of the special victims unit for the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office, Hawkins oversaw and managed the prosecution of violent crimes against women and children, including sexual assaults, domestic and sexual homicides, child homicides, human trafficking, and internet child exploitation, and oversaw seven assistant prosecutors, and trained law enforcement, medical professionals, and attorneys statewide.

- As a court of common pleas judge, Hawkins reviews the decisions of certain state administrative agencies, issues marriage licenses, administers divorce, spousal support, parental custody, adoption, and eminent domain proceedings, and oversees criminal felony cases, civil suits with alleged damages over $15,000, and cases involving individuals under 18 who are abused, neglected, or parentless.
- As director of the special victims unit for the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office, Hawkins oversaw and managed the prosecution of violent crimes against women and children, including sexual assaults, domestic and sexual homicides, child homicides, human trafficking, and internet child exploitation, and oversaw seven assistant prosecutors, and trained law enforcement, medical professionals, and attorneys statewide.

Legal Experience

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Daniel R. Hawkins

Judicial Votes Count, Lisa Forbes

Lisa holds a bachelor's degree in public policy from Cornell University and a law degree from Case Western Reserve School of Law. She lives in Shaker Heights with her husband and their 3 children. She is a member of St. Dominic Church in Shaker Heights. 

Lisa previously worked as a business litigator at Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease LLP, where she was also a partner in the Vorys Cleveland office. She also worked as an associate at Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP. 

Ballotpedia, Lisa Forbes

Lisa Forbes currently serves as a state court of appeals judge in District 8. She was elected to this position in 2020 and is serving her 1st full term. 

Candidate website

Cleveland, Lisa Forbes, a Cuyahoga County appeals court judge, is running for Ohio Supreme Court

Believes the state’s highest court should protect individual rights and freedoms, and opposes turning the Supreme Court into a "rubber stamp for their extreme agenda."

Believes "some powerful partisan interests want to turn the Supreme Court into a rubber stamp for their extreme agenda."

Believes "Ohio needs a new justice who will stand up for all Ohioans and stand firm against political pressure."

Wants to establish a sentencing database with Justice Donnelly to determine whether a defendant's sentence is proportional to the severity of the alleged offense.

Opposes a defendant's sentence being influenced by one's assigned courtroom.

Supports focusing on "rights that are afforded to Ohioans under the constitution and (state) laws.", including abortion access.

- Believes "some powerful partisan interests want to turn the Supreme Court into a rubber stamp for their extreme agenda."
- Believes "Ohio needs a new justice who will stand up for all Ohioans and stand firm against political pressure."
- Wants to establish a sentencing database with Justice Donnelly to determine whether a defendant's sentence is proportional to the severity of the alleged offense.
- Opposes a defendant's sentence being influenced by one's assigned courtroom.
- Supports focusing on "rights that are afforded to Ohioans under the constitution and (state) laws.", including abortion access.

Believes the Supreme Court is "the last line of defense for individual rights and freedoms here in Ohio."

Believes the state supreme court is "the last line of defense for individual rights and freedoms here in Ohio."

Said, "If elected, I will be an independent and fair jurist, and work every day to keep that firewall in place to protect your rights."

Said If elected, she will "work every day to keep that firewall in place to protect your rights."

- Believes the state supreme court is "the last line of defense for individual rights and freedoms here in Ohio."
- Said If elected, she will "work every day to keep that firewall in place to protect your rights."

Serves on the board of directors of the Center for Families and Children, Circle Health, El Barrio, and the Cleveland Christian Home for children.

- Serves on the board of directors of the Center for Families and Children, Circle Health, El Barrio, and the Cleveland Christian Home for children.

As of June 24, 2025, Lisa Forbes’s website did not contain information on this issue.

As a state court of appeals judge, Forbes ensures the law has been applied correctly in state criminal and civil cases, exercises the authority to correct procedural errors or misinterpretations of fact or law by lower appeals and trial courts, and hears applications for court orders that compel and prohibit certain actions by lower courts and government officials.

As a business litigator and partner at the Cleveland office at Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease LLP, Forbes helped clients resolve disputes, including complex business litigation, consumer class actions, legal malpractice, and trust and estate disputes, among other problems.

- As a state court of appeals judge, Forbes ensures the law has been applied correctly in state criminal and civil cases, exercises the authority to correct procedural errors or misinterpretations of fact or law by lower appeals and trial courts, and hears applications for court orders that compel and prohibit certain actions by lower courts and government officials.
- As a business litigator and partner at the Cleveland office at Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease LLP, Forbes helped clients resolve disputes, including complex business litigation, consumer class actions, legal malpractice, and trust and estate disputes, among other problems.

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Lisa Forbes

- The Supreme Court of Ohio has seven justices and serves as the final authority on the Ohio Constitution and Ohio law.
- The Court must accept appeals of cases that originated in the courts of appeals; cases involving the death penalty; cases involving questions arising under the U.S. Constitution or the Ohio Constitution; and cases in which there have been conflicting opinions from two or more courts of appeals.
- Decisions are made collectively by majority vote, and a justice writes the majority opinion.
- The justices elect a chief justice who serves as the administrative head of the state's court system, serving a six-year term.
- Justices are elected at large by the voters of Ohio for six-year terms across districts. Vacancies can be filled by the governor's appointment, with staggered elections ensuring that only some justices are elected each year.
- The chief justice earns $174,700 per year and associate justices $164,000 per year.

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