Articles - Sharon L. Kennedy

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon L. Kennedy spoke at the Ohio Association of Realtors Convention and Expo held in Cleveland on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.

In her address, Justice Kennedy discussed the balance of powers among the three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial—and focused on the role of the judicial system in particular.

"The judiciary wasn't created as an afterthought," Justice Kennedy said. "It was created as the entity that allows your voice to be heard—[that] allows [the legislative and executive bodies] to work in conjunction, so that neither is stripping the other of its power."

She also stressed the limited role judges have.

"When judges get a robe, they don't also get a magical pen that can erase things to make [them] better, or to add in to make [them] perfect," she said.

"Because of the constitutional foundation and the limited role of judges, we have stability and predictability in the law. The same law should be applied in Cuyahoga County as it is in Hamilton County," Justice Kennedy said.

She added that when an individual steps into a courtroom, no matter what county they are in, they should expect to be treated in the same manner.

"And that happens when judges honor their limited role in government," she stated.

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.