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Julia L. Dorrian

Julia L. Dorrian

For Judge of the Tenth District Court of Appeals
Full Term Beginning 1/2/2023

*Top Vote-Getter in General Election

Candidate Q&A

Candidate Details

  • Residence
    Columbus
  • Email
    dorrianforjudge@gmail.com
  • Social Media
  • Age
    57
  • Occupation
    Judge, Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals
  • Education

    -University of Notre Dame, B.A., May 1987

    -The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law, J.D., December 1996

    -The Ohio State University, John Glenn School of Public Affairs, M.A., June 1997

    -Foreign Study Programs: Angers, France, 1984-85 School Year; Cuernavaca, Mexico, Fall 1989

  • Work Experience

    -Judge, Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals, January 2, 2011-present

    -Judge, Franklin County Municipal Court, January 2004-January 2011

    -Attorney, Bricker & Eckler LLP, Columbus, Ohio, 1997-2004

    -Building Communities Coordinator, St. Stephens Community House, Columbus, Ohio, 1993-1994

    -Project Director, Translation of the Report of the Chilean National Commission on Truth & Reconcilliation, Center for Civil and Human Rights, Notre Dame Law School, 1992-1993

    -Lay Volunteer, Holy Cross Associates, Santiago, Chile 1989-1991

    -Assistant to the Vice President, International Business-Government Counsellors, Washington, D.C., 

     

  • Family
    Family Question
  • Affiliations

    Efforts to Promote Access to Justice, Public Understanding of the Law and Confidence in Judiciary:

    -Member, Ohio Sentencing Data Platform Project Team, Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission

    -Member, Advisory Committee on Court Security, Supreme Court of Ohio

    - Ohio Judicial College: Past Member, Board of Trustees and Appellate Curriculum Committee; Present and Past Instructor, New Appellate Judges Training, Interpreters and Mortgage Foreclosure

    - Past Host Judge, Law Student Externship Programs

    - Past Member, Advisory Committee on Interpreter Services, Supreme Court of Ohio

    - Past Member, Bench Book Committee, Ohio Association of Municipal and County Court Judges

    - Past Member Franklin County Municipal Court Rules and Court Security Committees

    - Authored "Keys to the Courtroom," a brochure on self-representation published by the Ohio State Bar Foundation 2006 Class, 73,000 copies distributed statewide

    - First Franklin County Municipal Court Judge to have waiver of rights forms translated to Somali

    - Advocated for improved accessibility modifications in appellate and trial courtrooms

    Life Fellow, Columbus Bar Foundation and Ohio State Bar Foundation

    Member, Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations

    Member, Women Lawyers of Franklin County and Ohio State Women's Bar Association

  • Bar Association Ratings

    5/5 Stars Columbus Bar Association Judicial Screening Committee rating 2022

Photo of Julia L. Dorrian Julia L. Dorrian

Question 1

List your judicial experience (courts and years)

It has been my honor to serve the people of Franklin County as a judge for eighteen years - the first seven years as a trial judge on the Franklin County Municipal Court, and these last eleven years as an appellate judge on the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals.  As an appellate judge, I have authored over 800 majority appellate decisions and reviewed approximately 2,100 cases on appeal.  I have served as presiding and administrative judge of the Ohio Tenth District Court of Appeals, including leading the court as the administrative judge in 2020, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, working hard to keep the court open and safe for litigants, lawyers, employees and the public.  I have served as a visiting judge on the Supreme Court of Ohio and other appellate courts in Ohio and since 2014 have served as faculty at the Ohio Judicial College training newly elected or appointed appellate judges.  As a trial judge, I presided over in excess of 24,000 trial court cases, 198 bench trials and 35 jury trials.  I am grateful to the people of Franklin County for this opportunity to serve and humbly ask for your vote on November 8, 2022.

Question 2

What non-judicial legal experience qualifies you to be a judge?

Please see above. 

Question 3

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

The Tenth District Court of Appeals serves as a court of last resort for most plaintiffs and defendants who appear before it because few cases are appealed to or accepted for review by the Supreme Court of Ohio.  The court sets precedent for all the criminal, civil, domestic, juvenile and probate trial courts in Franklin County as well as for the Ohio Court of Claims and many local and Ohio state administrative agencies - reviewing matters related to employment and professions, benefits, zoning, licensing and permitting, taxation and the environment, among other matters, affecting citizens throughout Ohio.  I am running for reelection because I care deeply about the independence, integrity and impartiality of our courts.  I care deeply about the role the Tenth District Court of Appeals as the court of last resort for many plaintiffs and defendants.  I care deeply about the role of the Tenth District Court of Appeals in setting precedent.  As a member of the court, I am ever mindful that the decisions we make significantly impact the lives of the residents of Franklin County and many Ohioans today and into the future.  I take this responsibility very seriously.