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Back in November, Jennifer O’Donnell, a longtime public defender and member of AFSCME Ohio Council 8 Local 3631, was elected to serve on the Common Pleas Court of Cuyahoga County, Ohio, which includes Cleveland. Now Judge Jennifer O’Donnell, she is proud and excited to continue her career of public service while bringing a unique voice and perspective to the bench.
O’Donnell says she was raised in a family very much oriented toward public service: her mom is a social worker and her late father was active in the Plumbers and Pipefitters Union. “I grew up with that genetic connection to wanting to help people,” she says. “Just the possibility every day that you’re potentially able to help someone is very gratifying. In many areas of law you don’t always get that satisfaction.”
O’Donnell discusses how she decided to run for public office, what her first steps were and who helped her along the way.
What motivated you to run for elected office?
Our Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas is the busiest court in Ohio, with 34 judges overseeing a civil, criminal and foreclosure docket. Prior to my election, there were no public defenders elected to the bench. A good half of the judges were coming out of the prosecutor’s office. Public defenders provide a voice to the most vulnerable members of our community. So, prior to my election, that voice was not represented on the bench. This was a big motivator for me. I wanted to bring that balance and a different perspective to the bench.
What were some of the pros and cons you weighed before making a decision?
There were reasons not to run. Running was one more really time-consuming activity to add to my already busy life. As a public defender, I was carrying really heavy caseloads. Also, I’m a mom, and at the time my son was 2 years old. I had to have a conversation with my husband about whether this is even doable. Are you going to be able to pick up the slack at home? When I was running for political office, I was gone four or five nights a week, sometimes more. One reason not to do it was the toll it might take on my family. But my husband and I talked, and he’s always been incredibly supportive of me and my goals.
