Articles - Sharon L. Kennedy

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon L. Kennedy presided over the Mercer County Law Day Ceremony on Thursday, May 8, 2014. More than 60 middle school and high school students attended the event held at the Mercer County Courthouse.

Justice Kennedy announced the winning essays out of a pool of approximately 40 essays submitted by seventh through ninth graders from three Celina schools. Justice Kennedy called the program "an excellent way to engage future leaders," and commended students for their participation. The essays' topics were inspired by this year's Law Day theme: "Why Every Vote Matters."

During her remarks, Justice Kennedy noted that according to the Ohio Secretary of State, 47 races or issues in 2013 were won or lost by a single vote.

She stressed the importance of every American exercising his or her voting right by concluding with a quotation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt: "Nobody will ever deprive the American people of the right to vote except the people themselves and the only way they could do this is by not voting."

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.