For Judge Andrew King of the Fifth District Court of Appeals, public service runs in the family. It began with his grandparents who served in World War II in the Army Air Corps and Cadet Nurse Corps. His parents met during peace officer training and were partnered together. They both became deputies for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

“My interest in public service is something I was almost literally born into,” Judge King said. “I think that aspect of being a judge is very important to me. It’s not just doing it for yourself or your client, it’s also for the public.”

On Tuesday, Judge King had the opportunity to serve the entire state of Ohio when he sat for oral arguments at the Supreme Court of Ohio. The Ohio Constitution gives the chief justice authority to assign an appellate judge to hear a Supreme Court case when a justice recuses.

Judge King sat in place of Justice Patrick F. Fischer in the case of State v. Wogenstahl. The death penalty case questions the constitutionality of a law pertaining to jurisdiction after a man was charged with murder in Ohio when the victim’s body was found in Indiana.

Death penalty cases are a familiar area of law to Judge King, who previously specialized in the topic at the Ohio Public Defender’s Office.

He used his previous experiences to prepare for his Supreme Court debut. Judge King also recognizes the high stakes involved for both the offender and the victim.

“You have to be unbiased, impartial, and dispassionate when you’re making your decision on the case,” he said.

It’s the same philosophy he applies to any case he hears at the appellate level.

“Every case is the most important case, to the litigants involved, to the appellee, to the appellant, and it’s also important to the attorneys” Judge King said.

While on the bench, he keeps in mind the weight his decision will have on the parties involved.

“These are two people or two groups of people that have very different views on what the outcome of the case should be, and someone is likely to be very disappointed,” Judge King said. “I take that seriously.’

Judge King knows there are real people involved behind every case. He does his best to not only find the right result, but also communicate his decisions so people feel like they had received a fair hearing on their case.

But he knows in the end, the decision must be rooted in the law.

“My oath is to the Constitution of the United States and the state of Ohio and to follow the laws of the state,” Judge King said.

While this was his first time sitting on the bench at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center, Judge King is not new to the Supreme Court. He previously externed for retired Justice Terrence O’Donnell.

Judge King leans on the mentorship he received from judges before him as the groundwork to guide his approach to the bench.

“I had the opportunity to learn from some really great judges, including Justice O’Donnell. I know firsthand that he prepared quite thoroughly for oral arguments. I too will read the briefs, research the law, and look over the record for any key facts,” Judge King said.