Articles - Sharon L. Kennedy

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon L. Kennedy spoke at the Kiwanis Solidified meeting in Port Clinton on Wednesday, August 13, 2014.

Justice Kennedy's interactive presentation titled "The Ohio Judicial System and You" covered the three branches of government, the judicial system in Ohio, and the responsibilities of the Ohio Supreme Court.

"Understanding the judicial system starts with a basic knowledge of our government's three branches and how they work together," Justice Kennedy said.

She discussed the constitutional balance of government, drawing attention to the responsibility of judges and justices to respect the people's legislative voice by interpreting the laws rather than rewriting them.

"The citizens of Ohio are the ones who control the creation of law through their representative voice," she said. "Once the people's voice is heard and the law is created, it is the executive branch's duty to enforce that law. If the judicial branch tries to legislate from the bench, it is as if the people's voice was never heard."

Following her presentation, Justice Kennedy responded to queries about the caseload handled by the Supreme Court on an annual basis, citing numbers and types of cases filed.

Justice Kennedy is serving her first term on the Supreme Court of Ohio. Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Justice Kennedy served on the Butler County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division from 1999 to 2012. Justice Kennedy served as the administrative judge there from 2005 until December 2012. Justice Kennedy began her career in the justice system as a police officer in Hamilton, Ohio. She received her law degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law.