Who is running for Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division (Full term commencing 2-14-2027) in 2026?

Magistrate and Assistant Court Administrator, Hamilton County Probate Court

Susan Luken is a magistrate and assistant court administrator of the Hamilton County Probate Court, appointed March 22, 2023, and previously served as a Hamilton County Juvenile Court magistrate and as assistant court administrator of the Common Pleas General Division². She began her career in commercial litigation at Dinsmore & Shohl after graduating from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2002². She is challenging incumbent Judge Kari Bloom on the November 3, 2026 ballot¹³. Ohio prints no party next to judicial candidates on the general election ballot, so this race is nonpartisan on the ballot.

• Magistrate and Assistant Court Administrator, Hamilton County Probate Court, since March 22, 2023; presides over mental health and adoption proceedings²
• Magistrate, Hamilton County Juvenile Court, appointed 2011 (delinquency, custody, paternity and child support cases); returned as a magistrate in 2021²
• Assistant Court Administrator, Hamilton County Common Pleas General Division, from October 2012 for about 10 years²
• Law clerk, Hamilton County Common Pleas General Division, from 2006²
• Commercial litigation attorney, Dinsmore & Shohl, 2002 to 2006²
• JD, University of Cincinnati College of Law (2002, Law Review); BA, University of Cincinnati²
• Not a sitting judge; her magistrate posts were court appointments²³. Nominated in the Republican primary for the 2026 election and included on the county Republican Party's judicial slate¹⁴.
• Bar poll: Cincinnati Bar Association 2026 Hamilton County Judicial Candidate Poll. The CBA describes it as a confidential, nonpartisan survey sent to its active attorney members (the results sheet says 2,500 members of the Cincinnati legal community); 170 members responded, rating only candidates they had contact with in the past four years, on six categories, with a stated margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. It is a non-binding member survey of attorney opinion, not an endorsement or a rating by the bar association. For Susan Luken, 45 respondents reported contact. Of those, the share rating the candidate Excellent: administrative diligence 51%, communication skills 47%, community engagement 44%, integrity/impartiality/objectivity 49%, legal experience 47%, professionalism/temperament 56%. The share rating Below Average, in the same order: 9%, 13%, 18%, 18%, 18%, 20%⁵⁶.

Administrative Judge, Hamilton County Juvenile Court

Kari L. Bloom has been a Hamilton County Juvenile Court judge since February 14, 2021, after winning election in November 2020, and has been the court's administrative judge since January 1, 2023⁴²⁶. Before the bench she was an attorney in the Hamilton County Public Defender's Office and a legislative liaison and parole attorney at the Ohio Public Defender's Office, and served on several Supreme Court of Ohio boards and commissions⁴³. Ohio prints no party next to judicial candidates on the general election ballot, so this race is nonpartisan on the ballot.

• Judge, Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division, since February 14, 2021; Administrative Judge since January 1, 2023; current term ends February 13, 2027⁴²
• Attorney, Hamilton County Public Defender's Office⁴³
• Legislative liaison and parole attorney, Office of the Ohio Public Defender; served on the Ohio Supreme Court Sentencing Commission, Recodification Committee, Bail Committee and Juvenile Justice Committee⁴³
• Contract negotiator for the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base early in her career⁴
• Children's Law Center (employment listed on her campaign site)³
• Elected in November 2020, defeating incumbent Judge John M. Williams, for a six-year term beginning February 14, 2021⁶⁴. Nominated in the Democratic primary for re-election in 2026¹⁷.
• Bar poll: Cincinnati Bar Association 2026 Hamilton County Judicial Candidate Poll. The CBA describes it as a confidential, nonpartisan survey sent to its active attorney members (the results sheet says 2,500 members of the Cincinnati legal community); 170 members responded, rating only candidates they had contact with in the past four years, on six categories, with a stated margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. It is a non-binding member survey of attorney opinion, not an endorsement or a rating by the bar association. For Kari L. Bloom, 86 respondents reported contact. Of those, the share rating the candidate Excellent: administrative diligence 36%, communication skills 43%, community engagement 49%, integrity/impartiality/objectivity 30%, legal experience 35%, professionalism/temperament 38%. The share rating Below Average, in the same order: 23%, 24%, 20%, 38%, 27%, 35%⁸⁹.
• Juvenile release decisions questioned by prosecutors (reported by WCPO, April 5, 2023). Bloom released, on electronic monitoring and over the prosecutor's objection, a juvenile adjudicated for trying to steal a rifle from a Delhi police cruiser; Prosecutor Melissa Powers said the court had been told the youth had searched online for firearms, his school's square footage and teachers' home addresses. About two weeks after release he was charged with raping a 7-year-old. Bloom's stated rationale: 'As a judge sitting there looking at it, I'm trusting the prosecutors' decision to evaluate that case and choose what they dismiss or not. This is his very first time being in court ever, super supportive family, support from the school, support to get his education and we don't always have that, right? So I thought, this is right to do.' She added that the case 'is something that I have to sleep with at night' and that she accepts responsibility for what happened. The same article reports that her predecessor, Joe Deters, had earlier questioned her decision to let a 14-year-old rape suspect stay with family on electronic monitoring⁵. In a separate WCPO interview she said detention decisions follow guidance in the law and that 'we cannot have black-and-white policies' holding every child charged with a given offense¹⁰.