“Achieving Justice” with Cuyahoga County Public Defender Jennifer O’Donnell, candidate for the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court General Division

Jennifer O’Donnell of the Cuyahoga County Public Defender’s Office and candidate for Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, General Division, is an advocate for change, social justice, and second chances.  O’Donnell advanced from the special Democratic primary in May 2022 and and will be on the countywide ballot in Cuyahoga County in this year’s November 8 election.

In this latest installment of Justice Jennifer Brunner’s “Achieving Justice” video series, Jennifer O’Donnell reflects on her time spent in the public defender’s office and as a mother to a five-year old. She believes that in order to break the cycle of criminal behavior and repeat-offenses, every case needs to be considered individually based on the specific facts and circumstances; when possible, some offenders need mental health treatment, others need anger management or employment resources. She talked about the support she receives at home from her husband and how they’re both focused on showing their young son the value of leading with kindness and helping others.

When she completed law school, her love for community service and helping families led her to the public defender’s office. She brings a unique perspective gained from representing thousands of residents in her 14-year career, and this helps fuel her passion to serve well on the bench.

Justice Brunner started "Achieving Justice" in 2020 during her campaign for the Ohio Supreme Court. The program educates individuals about Ohio's judicial system and the judges and candidates for judge who serve and wish to serve their state and community. A new Achieving Justice interview is to be released each week. All of the 2022 Achieving Justice interviews can be found here: https://www.justicebrunner.com/news. 

“Serving the people and the cause of justice is one of the most important callings in our democratic system,” Justice Brunner said. “I believe that the more information the public has about the courts, their judges, and judicial candidates, the stronger our system is.”

Justice Brunner is a candidate for Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court in 2022.