COLUMBUS, Ohio — Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters will be Ohio's next Supreme Court Justice, Governor Mike DeWine announced Thursday.
Deters will be sworn in to his new role on Jan. 7 and must run for election for the position in 2024.
Usually, this is an elected seat, but there will soon be a vacant spot. Chief Justice Maureen O'Conner will retire on December 31 and Justice Sharon Kennedy will move up and take her place.
…that comes with this appointment and look forward to working with my colleagues on the Supreme Court to ensure Ohio’s justice system protects the rights of all Ohioans. 2/2
— Joe Deters (@JosephTDeters) December 22, 2022
Governor Mike DeWine announced Thursday that he appointed Deters, a Republican, to serve as Kennedy's replacement.
"Joe Deters has the right combination of experience, legal knowledge and passion for public service that will serve the citizens of Ohio well as an associate justice of the Ohio Supreme Court," said DeWine in a press release. "Joe is a long-serving and well-regarded public servant who is known for his legal intellect, reverence for the rule of law and his accessibility."
Deters will begin serving a six-year term as a state justice starting in January.
Deters is currently serving as Hamilton County's prosecutor, a role he served in from 1992 to 1999 and again since 2005 — making him the longest-serving prosecuting attorney the county has seen. Prior to that, he served as state treasurer from 1999 to 2004 and was elected clerk of courts in 1998.
A Cincinnati native, Deters went to St. Xavier High School and the University of Cincinnati for both undergrad and his law degree.
Deters' appointment creates a vacancy in the prosecutor's position. The Hamilton County Republican Party said they will tap someone to serve in the role until the next general election, which will happen in Nov. 2024.
The party said it will accept applications for the position from now until Dec. 30, 2022 by 4 p.m.
Multiple sources tell WCPO that Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Melissa Powers is the leading candidate for the position.
What does this mean for the court?
The state's seven-member supreme court is currently controlled by a majority of Ohio Republicans, with four Republications and three Democrats. The court has held a red majority for decades. With the appointment of Deters, this will continue.
In the November election, Republicans took all three open seats on the ballot. The Supreme Court race was considered one of the most important due to the court's ongoing fight with the Ohio Redistricting Commission.
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