Evelyn Stratton
Evelyn Lundberg Stratton was a justice on the Ohio Supreme Court. She was appointed to this position on March 7, 1996 to a term that would have expired on January 1, 2015. However, Stratton retired on December 31, 2012.[1]
Education
Stratton received her A.A. from the University of Florida at Gainesville in 1974, her B.A. in history from the University of Akron in 1976 and her J.D. from The Ohio State University in 1979.[2][3]
Career
Upon graduation, Stratton entered private practice, where she remained until her election as a Franklin County Court of Common Pleas judge. It was during her tenure there that she received the nickname "Velvet Hammer" for her tough sentencing practices.[4]
Awards and associations
- Co-founder and former Co-chair, Judges' Leadership Initiative
- Angels Award, Congressional Coalition on Adoption
- Excellence Award, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor, National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations[2]
Formation of health courts
Stratton helped form mental health courts in Ohio, an effort that seeks to reduce the number of citizens that cycle through trial courts. The health courts are a part of a comprehensive program that incorporates housing, counseling, medication, and employment assistance.[5]
Elections
2008
- On November 4, Justice Evelyn Stratton received 2,443,112 (63%) to defeat challenger Peter Sikora, who received 1,424,786 votes (37%).[6]
| Candidate | Incumbent | Seat | Party | Election % |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Evelyn Stratton  |
Yes | Stratton Seat | Republican | 63.2% | |
| Peter Sikora | No | Stratton Seat | Democratic | 36.9% |
2002
Stratton defeated Janet Burnside, winning 55.23 percent of the vote.[7]
For her 2002 re-election, Stratton raised $1,899,313.[8]
| Candidate | Incumbent | Seat | Party | Election % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evelyn Stratton |
Yes | Stratton Seat | Republican | 56.3% | |
| Janet R. Burnside | No | Stratton Seat | Democratic | 44.7% |
1996
In 1996, Stratton defeated Marianna Brown Bettman, winning 58.54 percent of the vote.[9]
In her first bid for the Ohio Supreme Court, Justice Stratton raised $483,302.[10]
| Candidate | Incumbent | Seat | Party | Election % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marianna Brown Bettman | No | Term commencing January 2, 1997 | Democratic | 41.5% | |
| Evelyn Stratton |
No | Term commencing January 2, 1997 | Republican | 58.5% |
Political ideology
In October 2012, political science professors Adam Bonica and Michael Woodruff of Stanford University attempted to determine the partisan ideology of state supreme court justices. They created a scoring system in which a score above 0 indicated a more conservative-leaning ideology, while scores below 0 were more liberal.
Stratton received a campaign finance score of 0.88, indicating a conservative ideological leaning. This was more conservative than the average score of 0.62 that justices received in Ohio.
The study was based on data from campaign contributions by the judges themselves, the partisan leaning of those who contributed to the judges' campaigns, or, in the absence of elections, the ideology of the appointing body (governor or legislature). This study was not a definitive label of a justice, but an academic summary of various relevant factors.[11]
See also
- News: Ohio Supreme Court Justice submits resignation, May 23, 2012
- Ohio Supreme Court
- Ohio Supreme Court elections
External links
- The Supreme Court of Ohio, Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton
- Project Vote Smart, Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton (OH)
- OhioBusinessVotes.org, Justice Stratton Biography
- Ashbrook Center, Justice Stratton Lecture: "What is a Missionary Kid Like Me Doing in a Job Like This?" September 22, 2008
- The Plain Dealer, "Justice Stratton continues to lean away from court's top job," July 23, 2008
Footnotes
- ↑ The Supreme Court of Ohio and the Ohio Judiciary, Press Release: "Justice Stratton Announces Retirement," May 22, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Supreme Court of Ohio, Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton (OH)
- ↑ Salem News.net, "Stratton makes area visit," April 14, 2008
- ↑ NPR.org, "States Try Out Courts Tailored for Mentally Ill," August 21, 2006
- ↑ Supreme Court results
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, 2002 General Election Results
- ↑ Justice Stratton Campaign Donations 2002
- ↑ Ohio Secretary of State, 2002 General Election Results
- ↑ Justice Stratton Campaign Donations 1996
- ↑ Stanford University, "State Supreme Court Ideology and 'New Style' Judicial Campaigns," October 31, 2012
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
