Eric Brown (judge)
Encyclopedia
Eric Brown is the former Chief Justice
of the Ohio Supreme Court. He was appointed by Governor Ted Strickland
on May 3, 2010, following the death of Chief Justice Thomas Moyer on April 2, 2010.
Brown was the first Jewish Chief Justice in Ohio history. He received a bachelor's degree in history from Cleveland State University
in 1975 and a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
in 1979. He has served as an Assistant Attorney General, Judge and Magistrate on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, and Judge for Franklin County's Probate Court and is currently a Judge on the Franklin County Municipal Court.
Brown was defeated for Chief Justice by Associate Justice Maureen O'Connor
, the Republican candidate, in the November 2, 2010 general election.
Chief Justice Brown served for nearly 15 years as an elected public school board member for Mayfield City Schools. For a decade, he served the bar association as treasurer, chair of the budget & management committee, and as an elected trustee. Chief Justice Brown owned and operated several businesses, and was honored by his local chamber of commerce as Business Person of the Year.
Before serving as Probate Court Judge, Chief Justice Brown served as a Judge and Magistrate on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division where he presided over a large caseload consisting of criminal felony cases, substantial civil disputes, administrative appeals, and a wide variety of other matters, including serving as the probate judge in a significant guardianship case. As a common pleas court judge, he handled more than 7,300 cases on his docket, nearly 4,400 of those civil and more than 3,000 of those criminal cases. After his defeat by O'Connor, Governor Strickland appointed Brown to an open judgeship on the Franklin County
Municipal Court.
Chief Justice Brown also served 11 years as an Assistant Attorney General for Ohio Attorneys General Lee Fisher and Betty Montgomery, where he worked as both a lawyer and as a manager.
As Assistant and Acting Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, he successfully managed a staff of 70, including lawyers, investigators, consumer specialists, and support staff. As Tobacco Litigation Counsel, he helped lead the largest litigation in Ohio history, coordinating the work of six law firms serving as outside counsel, supervising a core team of eight staff attorneys, and coordinating Ohio's efforts with more than 40 other states.
Board of Commissioners, have been married since 1973 and have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
of the Ohio Supreme Court. He was appointed by Governor Ted Strickland
Ted Strickland
Theodore "Ted" Strickland was the 68th Governor of Ohio, serving from 2007 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served in the United States House of Representatives, representing ....
on May 3, 2010, following the death of Chief Justice Thomas Moyer on April 2, 2010.
Brown was the first Jewish Chief Justice in Ohio history. He received a bachelor's degree in history from Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University
Cleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
in 1975 and a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law
The Cleveland–Marshall College of Law is the law school of Cleveland State University, located in Cleveland, Ohio. The school traces its origins to the founding of Cleveland Law School in 1897 which, in 1946, merged with the John Marshall School of Law, founded in 1916, to become Cleveland–Marshall...
in 1979. He has served as an Assistant Attorney General, Judge and Magistrate on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, and Judge for Franklin County's Probate Court and is currently a Judge on the Franklin County Municipal Court.
Brown was defeated for Chief Justice by Associate Justice Maureen O'Connor
Maureen O'Connor
Maureen O'Connor is an American jurist and the Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. Prior to this, O'Connor served as an Associate Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court and as Lieutenant Governor of Ohio under Gov. Bob Taft...
, the Republican candidate, in the November 2, 2010 general election.
Early career
Chief Justice Brown started his legal career engaged in a private law practice in his hometown of Cleveland, handling a wide variety of legal matters in both a small firm and solo practice. He handled civil and criminal litigation, business, real estate, and probate law matters. Brown was one of the first lawyers in Ohio to develop a law practice serving the needs of the elderly and their families.Chief Justice Brown served for nearly 15 years as an elected public school board member for Mayfield City Schools. For a decade, he served the bar association as treasurer, chair of the budget & management committee, and as an elected trustee. Chief Justice Brown owned and operated several businesses, and was honored by his local chamber of commerce as Business Person of the Year.
Judicial career
Prior to his appointment as Chief Justice, Judge Brown served as the Judge for Franklin County's Probate Court where he presided over the largest single-judge court in Ohio, serving as both judge and clerk of the court, overseeing a staff of 50 employees, including seven magistrates.Before serving as Probate Court Judge, Chief Justice Brown served as a Judge and Magistrate on the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division where he presided over a large caseload consisting of criminal felony cases, substantial civil disputes, administrative appeals, and a wide variety of other matters, including serving as the probate judge in a significant guardianship case. As a common pleas court judge, he handled more than 7,300 cases on his docket, nearly 4,400 of those civil and more than 3,000 of those criminal cases. After his defeat by O'Connor, Governor Strickland appointed Brown to an open judgeship on the Franklin County
Franklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
Municipal Court.
Chief Justice Brown also served 11 years as an Assistant Attorney General for Ohio Attorneys General Lee Fisher and Betty Montgomery, where he worked as both a lawyer and as a manager.
As Assistant and Acting Chief of the Consumer Protection Section, he successfully managed a staff of 70, including lawyers, investigators, consumer specialists, and support staff. As Tobacco Litigation Counsel, he helped lead the largest litigation in Ohio history, coordinating the work of six law firms serving as outside counsel, supervising a core team of eight staff attorneys, and coordinating Ohio's efforts with more than 40 other states.
Education
Brown received a bachelor's degree in history from Cleveland State University in 1975 and a law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1979. In June 2009, Chief Justice Brown was named an ASTAR Fellow after completing the two-year Advanced Science and Technology Adjudication Resource program, which is designed to prepare judges to preside over cases involving complex science and technology issues and to serve as a resource to other judges. Chief Justice Brown's service on judicial related organizations also includes: his appointment to the Ohio Judicial Conference Probate Law & Procedure Committee, his appointment to the Supreme Court Commission on the Rules of Practice & Procedure, and his appointment to the Franklin County Criminal Justice Planning Board, which provides oversight for criminal and juvenile justice programs funded through Franklin County.Family
Chief Justice Brown and his wife Marilyn, a member of the Franklin CountyFranklin County, Ohio
Franklin County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. In 2010 the population was 1,163,414, making it the second largest county in Ohio and the 34th largest county in population in the United States. Franklin County is also the largest in the eight-county Columbus, Ohio...
Board of Commissioners, have been married since 1973 and have two daughters and three grandchildren.