Judge Chris Brown is running for reelection to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, in the Nov. 3 general election.

The nonpartisan seat carries a term commencing July 2. Brown has served on the bench since 2015, hearing felony criminal cases and civil disputes, according to the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council. He was first elected in 2014. The court serves Franklin County, including New Albany and Gahanna.

Brown is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

Candidate information

  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Hometown: Columbus (south side); lifelong central Ohio resident
  • Education: High school diploma, South High School (1998); bachelor's degree in political science, Ohio State University (2002); J.D., Capital University (2005)

Experience and public service

Brown began his legal career as an assistant prosecutor at the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, where he worked from 2005 to 2012, according to BallotReady. He then moved into private practice as managing attorney at J. Scott Weisman Law Offices, a position he held from 2012 to 2015.

He took the bench in 2015.

Brown has now served more than a decade on the General Division bench, where his docket includes both felony criminal cases and civil disputes. He was first elected to the seat in 2014, according to the Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council.

A lifelong central Ohio resident, Brown grew up on the south side of Columbus and attended St. Leo's Catholic Church, according to the trades council.

On the issues

Judicial philosophy: Brown said on his campaign website that if reelected, he will continue to "vigorously apply the law to each case, with an eye towards the intent and the impact of the law on all people in Franklin County, regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or age."

No additional issue responses from Brown were available for this profile.

Endorsements

The following organizations have endorsed Brown, according to the sources listed:

  • Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council
  • Stonewall Democrats of Central Ohio
  • AFL-CIO

The Building and Construction Trades Council, in its endorsement, called Brown "a smart, young judge who has done a tremendous job on the bench."

Candidate information was gathered from public records, BallotReady data and the candidate's campaign website. Issue positions reflect the candidate's own statements.