Patrick Sheeran

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Patrick E. Sheeran

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Prior offices

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division

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Education

Bachelor's

University of Dayton

Law

University of Detroit Mercy

Patrick E. Sheeran was a Republican judge for the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas in Columbus, Ohio. He was appointed to the court by former Governor Bob Taft and assumed the bench on August 1, 2005. Sheeran was elected to the court in 2006 and re-elected in 2010. His term ended on January 3, 2017.

Sheeran was running for re-election in 2016. While he advanced unopposed from the primary election, he withdrew from the race prior to the general election. The general election took place on November 8, 2016. Stephanie Hanna was chosen to replace him on the general election ballot.

Biography

Sheeran received his undergraduate degree from the University of Dayton and his J.D. from the University of Detroit Mercy. Prior to joining the court, Sheeran served as the first assistant prosecuting attorney of the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office Civil Division and as a magistrate with the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division.

Elections

2016

Incumbent Patrick Sheeran ran unopposed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division Republican primary election.

Franklin County Court of Common Pleas (General Division–Sheeran seat), Republican Primary, 2016
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Patrick Sheeran Incumbent (unopposed)	100.00%	85,348
Total Votes		85,348
Source: Franklin County, Ohio, "2016 Primary Election Official Canvass," April 5, 2016

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.

2010

See also: Ohio Court of Common Pleas judicial elections, 2010 (A-H)

Sheeran was re-elected after running unopposed.

Columbus Bar Association Judicial Performance Poll

In even numbered years, attorneys in Franklin County evaluate the performance of sitting judges in four categories and overall. Below are Judge Sheeran's ratings from 2012:

• Objectivity: 4.0
• Judicial temperament: 4.1
• Legal knowledge: 3.9
• Sentencing: 3.7
• Quality of opinions: 3.9
• Overall: 3.9 - Average overall score of judges was 3.8.

See also

• Franklin County, Ohio
• Ohio Courts of Common Pleas
• Judicial selection in Ohio
• Local trial court judicial elections, 2016

External links

• Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division, website
• Franklin County Court of Common Pleas General Division: List of Judges

Footnotes

Ohio courts

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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