Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul E. Pfeifer

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul E. Pfeifer

Retiring Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul E. Pfeifer will join the Ohio Judicial Conference as its new executive director next year, the conference announced today.

Justice Pfeifer has served on the Supreme Court since Jan. 2, 1993. The last day of his fourth and final six-year term is Jan. 1, 2017. Justice Pfeifer could not run again for another term because of Ohio’s constitutional age restriction for judges.

Before his initial 1992 election to the Supreme Court, Justice Pfeifer served in both houses of the Ohio General Assembly, including one term in the House of Representatives and four terms in the Senate. He held a variety of leadership posts in the Senate, and served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee for 10 years.

“I think I’m bringing a unique perspective to this position,” Justice Pfeifer said. “I’ll be able to draw on my experience in both the judiciary and the General Assembly, and I will be working with our judges to help members of the General Assembly better understand the impact that legislative proposals can create at the courthouse.”

ustice Pfeifer grew up on his family’s dairy farm near Bucyrus. His first job after graduating from The Ohio State University College of Law was as an assistant attorney general under William Saxbe, trying eminent-domain cases associated with the building of Ohio’s highway system. In 1972, he became a partner in the law firm of Cory, Brown & Pfeifer, where he practiced – primarily as a trial and tax lawyer – for 20 years. He also served several years as an assistant prosecutor for Crawford County.

“Early in my career, I had the good fortune of trying cases all over our state,” Justice Pfeifer said. “Now, after 24 years on the Supreme Court, this position – representing the more than 700 judges of the Ohio Judicial Conference – offers new challenges and exciting opportunities. I’m looking forward to getting started.”

Conference Chair and Clermont County Juvenile/Probate Court Judge James A. Shriver said that “the Ohio Judicial Conference is honored to be led by a great icon of the Ohio Judiciary. His vast judicial experience and knowledge and his robust energy and ideas will serve both the judiciary and the citizens of Ohio quite well.”

Justice Pfeifer and his wife, Julie, have two daughters, Lisa and Beth, a son, Kurt, four granddaughters, and one grandson. Justice Pfeifer still lives near Bucyrus, and he and his family raise purebred Angus cattle on their Crawford County farm.