Paul E. Kostyu reports:
Newly elected 1st District Court of Appeals judge and Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Pat DeWine is one of 13 candidates for an opening on the Ohio Supreme Court.
Five of those 13 are from Southwest Ohio and include two other appellate court judges, a common pleas judge and a Cincinnati attorney.
DeWine, of Hyde Park and the son of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, applied for the appointment to the court to replace Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton. She announced her retirement in May, effective at the end of the year, so she can devote more time to issues related to mental health, adoption and veterans support.
There are two years remaining on her six-year term. Her replacement, who will be appointed by Gov. John R. Kasich, would face voters in 2014 to remain on the bench for a full term.
Pat DeWine could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Other Southwest Ohio applicants for the job included:
• Judge Patrick Francis Fischer of the Cincinnati-based 1st District Court of Appeals. The Pleasant Ridge resident is also president of the board of the Ohio State Bar Association. Fischer could not be reached for comment.
• Judge Victor Haddad, 51, is one of five judges of the Clermont County Common Pleas Court, which is based in Batavia.
“I’m a dreamer,” said the Pierce Township resident about his interest in the position. “You have to seize the opportunity.”
• Charles M. Miller lives in Indian Hill and is a partner in the Cincinnati law firm Keating Muething & Klekamp.
Miller, 36, clerked for Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor and said he has “a lot of experience with members of the court.” Miller said he’s argued about 15 cases before the seven justices.
• Judge Robert Paul Ringland lives in Batavia and serves on the 12th District Court of Appeals, which is based in Middletown and includes Clermont, Butler and Warren counties in its eight-county district.
