Carl Aveni

This page was last updated during the official's most recent election or appointment. Please contact us with any updates.

Carl Aveni

Democratic Party

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Tenure

2021 - Present

Term ends

2026

Years in position

4

Report an officeholder change

Elections and appointments

Last elected

November 3, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

American University, 1991

Law

Boston University School of Law, 1996

Personal

Birthplace

Melrose, Mass.

Religion

Methodist

Profession

Lawyer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Carl Aveni (Democratic Party) is a judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division in Ohio. He assumed office on January 1, 2021. His current term ends on December 31, 2026.

Aveni (Nonpartisan, Democratic Party) ran for election for judge of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division in Ohio. Aveni won in the general election on November 3, 2020. He advanced from the Democratic primary on April 28, 2020.

Aveni completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Aveni was born in Melrose, Massachusetts. He earned a bachelor's degree from American University in 1991 and a J.D. from Boston University School of Law in 1996. His career experience includes working as a partner at Carlile Patchen and Murphy.

Elections

2020

See also: Municipal elections in Franklin County, Ohio (2020)

General election

General election for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Carl Aveni defeated Josh Brown in the general election for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carl Aveni (Nonpartisan)	54.2	276,435
		Josh Brown (Nonpartisan)	45.8	233,533

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 509,968
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Carl Aveni advanced from the Democratic primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on April 28, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carl Aveni	100.0	87,711

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 87,711
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Josh Brown advanced from the Republican primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on April 28, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Josh Brown	100.0	28,282

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 28,282
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Endorsements

To view Aveni's endorsements in the 2020 election, please click here.

2018

General election

General election for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Dan Hawkins defeated Carl Aveni in the general election for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on November 6, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dan Hawkins (R)	50.3	183,367
		Carl Aveni (D)	49.7	181,506

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 364,873
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Carl Aveni advanced from the Democratic primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 8, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Carl Aveni	100.0	65,115

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 65,115
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Republican primary election

Republican primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Dan Hawkins advanced from the Republican primary for Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division on May 8, 2018.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Dan Hawkins	100.0	37,473

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 37,473
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Selection method

See also: Nonpartisan election of judges

The 391 judges of the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are all selected in an identical manner. Qualified individuals wishing to join the bench must participate in partisan primary elections followed by nonpartisan general elections.

The chief judges of the Ohio Courts of Common Pleas are chosen by peer vote and serve for one year.

Qualifications
To serve on an appellate or general jurisdiction court, a judge must be:

• a district or county resident (for court of appeals and common pleas judges);
• at least six years practiced in law; and
• under the age of 70.

Under the Ohio Constitution, a judge who reaches 70 years of age may be assigned by the chief justice to active duty, receiving payment on a per-day basis in addition to whatever retirement benefits he or she is entitled to.

Campaign themes

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Carl Aveni completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Aveni's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

Carl Aveni was raised by a public school teacher and a social worker, who each instilled in him a dedication to his craft and a drive to improve the lives of those around him. As a young boy, Carl saved for college by working as a professional clown at children's birthday parties on evenings and weekends. He also worked as a paperboy, swim instructor, lifeguard, grocery clerk, and spent one memorable summer working on a pig farm. These experiences gave him the ability to see the world through many lenses and developed his sense of fairness and equity.

After college and law school, Carl set about honing his skills as a litigator and courtroom lawyer. Twenty-four years later, he is a leading Partner at a well regarded Columbus law firm. His career has taken him to courtrooms across Ohio, to our courts of appeals, and even to the Ohio Supreme Court, where he won not only for his clients but for the safety and benefit of the public. He is a frequent lecturer and presenter on trial and evidentiary topics, training lawyers how to present their cases to juries.

Carl is committed to our community, currently serving on the boards of the Rickenbacker Woods Foundation and the Kaleidoscope Youth Center. He is an Eagle Scout, and spent 7 years as the proud Den Leader of Den 4, Cub Scout Pack 74. His greatest accomplishment however, is being the husband of Valerie and dad to Lucy and Eamon.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Trusted - Carl has lectured and written extensively on issues involving trial practice and evidence. Carl served as Associate Editor of Litigation News, one of the flagship publications of the ABA (American Bar Association) Section of Litigation.
• Experienced - Carl has 24 years of experience litigating in courts across Ohio and the country. He has sat across the kitchen table with clients the night before trial, sharing their worries and shouldering their burdens. He has handled cases in every Ohio court that has jurisdiction in Franklin County, from the Municipal Court, to every division of the Court of Common Pleas, to the Tenth District Court of Appeals, and all the up to the Ohio Supreme Court.
• Fair - Carl serves as the Ethics Counsel to his partners at Carlile Patchen & Murphy, directing the firm's compliance with the Ohio Supreme Court's Rules of Professional Conduct. He has also championed efforts to create a child care facility in conjunction with the Franklin County Court System, working to alleviate barriers for caretakers and parents who may serve as jurors and witnesses.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Carl has been promoting since 2018 access to child care in our courts. This impacts not just those who work in the courts but directly impacts jury selection.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

Fred Rogers. Mr. Rogers was an authentic avatar for human decency and kindness in a sometimes chaotic and unkind world. We would all be better off with an extra Mr. Rogers or two in our lives.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I remember the repatriation of the American POWs in 1973. I was 3 years old.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Professional Clown. I was a professional clown for ten years which helped to pay for my college.

What is your favorite book? Why?

I am a voracious reader and my favorite book is usually the one that I am in the middle of. However, I often go back to "To Kill a Mockingbird" for inspiration. All the best and worst of this world can be found within those pages.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

I once had "The Girl from Ipanema" stuck in my head for 9 months. I blame it on the Bossa Nova.

Are there any little-known powers or responsibilities held by this office that you believe more people should be aware of?

The courts have a unique ability to create more inclusive space and accessibility through their administration.

Is there a particular judge, past or present, whom you admire?

I look up to Thurgood Marshall and Louis Brandeis. Both scholars of the law that managed to retain a deep sense of compassion and humility.

Do you believe that empathy is an important quality for a judge?

Yes.

Have you ever been rated by a Bar Association? If so, what was the rating?

Yes. I am rated highly recommended by both the Columbus Bar Association and the Central Ohio Association for Justice.

Why are you running for this particular court seat?

I have 24 years of experience practicing in the Court of Common Pleas. My experience, training and temperament are put to their best and highest use by serving the public as a Judge on this Court.

Do you believe that it's beneficial for a judge to have previous experience in government or politics?

I think that it is critical for Trial Judges to have Courtroom experience.

What is your primary concern about today's legal system in your state?

I believe that in addition to their other functions, judges owe a duty to ensure greater

public access and understanding of our courts. Towards that end, I have been single-handedly
leading a campaign since January 2019 to secure childcare at our courthouse for jurors. The fact
that we do not have such facilities acts as a structural barrier preventing full participation in jury
service, primarily affecting single mothers below certain age and income thresholds. The fact
that those voices are thus under-represented in our jury pools affects every jury deliberation

where they are absent. We can do better.

What do you consider the greatest opportunity for the legal system in your state?

I believe that in addition to their other functions, judges owe a duty to ensure greater

public access and understanding of our courts. Towards that end, I have been single-handedly
leading a campaign since January 2019 to secure childcare at our courthouse for jurors. The fact
that we do not have such facilities acts as a structural barrier preventing full participation in jury
service, primarily affecting single mothers below certain age and income thresholds. The fact
that those voices are thus under-represented in our jury pools affects every jury deliberation

where they are absent.

Would you be interested in serving on a higher court in the future? If so, which court appeals to you?

I am focused on the election this November and the opportunity to serve on this court.

Do you believe that Bar Association ratings are an accurate reflection of a judge’s ability?

I believe that the lawyers in our community have a deep understanding of our judicial system and therefore their rating reflects that understanding.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

See also

2020 Elections

What's on the ballot? U.S. President U.S. Congress U.S. Congress special elections State executives State legislatures State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards Election analysis hub

Government

Who represents me? U.S. Congress State executives State legislators State courts Ballot measures Municipal government School boards

Newsletters

Coronavirus Weekly Updates Documenting America's Path to Recovery The Heart of the Primaries The Daily Brew The Weekly Brew The Ballot Bulletin Checks and Balances Economy and Society Hall Pass Number of the Day Robe & Gavel Union Station

• Judicial selection in Ohio

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Candidate

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

Website

Facebook

Footnotes

Ohio courts

---

Federal courts:

Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Northern District of Ohio, Southern District of Ohio

State courts:

Ohio Supreme Court • Ohio District Courts of Appeal • Ohio Courts of Common Pleas • Ohio County Courts • Ohio Municipal Courts • Ohio Court of Claims

State resources:

Courts in Ohio • Ohio judicial elections • Judicial selection in Ohio