Kasich Appoints Columbus Judge To Ohio Supreme Court

Republican Gov. John Kasich is appointing appellate judge Judith French to the Ohio Supreme Court. French has served on the 10th District Court of Appeals in Columbus since 2004. Before that, French served as chief legal counsel to Gov. Bob Taft and chief counsel and assistant attorney general under Attorney General Betty Montgomery. Kasich named French Thursday as his pick to fill the two years remaining on the term of Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton, who announced her retirement this spring. Thirteen judges and lawyers applied for the job. French joins five other Republicans on the seven-member court. She will be one of three new faces on the court after two incumbent justices lost re-election bids this fall. French received her bachelor's, master's and law degrees from Ohio State University.