A Hamilton County assistant prosecutor will sit on the bench for the first time.

Gov. John Kasich appointed Joshua A. Berkowitz of Norwood to serve as a Hamilton County Municipal Court judge for District 4. Berkowitz will assume office on April 15.

Berkowitz replaces Judge Megan E. Shanahan, who last month was appointed to the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. He must win in November’s general election to retain the municipal court seat for the remainder of the unexpired term, which ends on Jan. 4, 2020.

Berkowitz received his bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and his law degree from Capital University. Prior to working as an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office, Berkowitz was the law director for Norwood and served as a Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office assistant prosecuting attorney. He was admitted to the practice of law in Ohio on Nov. 6, 2006.