Jennifer O'Donnell

Jennifer is a public defender in Cleveland, Ohio who has dedicated her career to representing thousands of members of her community who cannot afford legal representation. Jennifer will bring a unique and much-needed perspective to the bench. Of the 34 current sitting judges in Cuyahoga County, not one comes from a professional background of being a public defender. This experience has given Jennifer a deep and intimate understanding of the criminal justice system in Cuyahoga County and the need for change. Jennifer sees the urgent need for judges ready to work with county government to improve conditions in the Cuyahoga County Jail, prioritize bail reform, and expand mental health and substance abuse services for defendants.

Jennifer comes from a strong union background. She is a proud member of AFSCME Local 3631 and a delegate to the Northshore AFL-CIO. Jennifer will take her strong union work ethic with her to the bench.

Jennifer has a B.A. in History from Denison University and a J.D. from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Jennifer lives in a suburb of Cleveland with her husband, Mike and their 4 year old son, Mitchell.