Robert A. Goering, a sitting Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judge and Mariemont High School graduate, is running for a second term on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
In a candidate questionnaire, Goering said he is seeking re-election because he has "the experience to handle the tough cases." He pointed to nearly six years on the bench and 35 years in family law practice, saying he has handled thousands of cases, including jury trials, and has sentenced people convicted of murder and rape.
The seat is nonpartisan. It covers the General Division for a term beginning Feb. 11. Goering said he is endorsed by the Hamilton County Republican Party and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 69.
Candidate information
- Current office: Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge, elected 2020, serving since February 2021
- Education: Mariemont High School, 1978 (3rd in class); BA cum laude, Denison University, 1982; JD, Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University, 1986
- Family: Married with older children; his wife works for the Department of Justice
- Admitted to practice: 1986 in Ohio, the Southern District of Ohio, the Eastern District of Kentucky and the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals
- Eagle Scout
Experience and public service
Before joining the bench, Goering served as Hamilton County Treasurer for 30 years, winning seven elections between 1992 and 2016. In that role he also served as president of the Hamilton County Board of Revision, Budget Commission and Investment Advisory Committee from 1992 to 2021. He incorporated the Hamilton County Land Bank and served as its president from 2016 to 2021.
Goering was a partner at Goering & Goering LLC from 1986 to 2021 and has taught as an adjunct professor of bankruptcy at Chase College of Law since 2020. He has served as an independent trustee and chairman of the audit and governance committee at Eubel Brady & Suttman Mutual Fund Trust. He has chaired the Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Rules Committee since 2022.
On the issues
Handling complex cases: Goering cited presiding over the three-week murder trial known locally as the "Gender Reveal" case as evidence he can handle the job. He said the jury found both defendants guilty, they were sentenced to long prison terms, and all convictions were upheld on appeal.
Commercial Court role: Goering said his public finance background, including leading the county's Board of Revision, Budget Commission and Land Bank, led to his election as a Commercial Docket Judge handling complex civil litigation.
Reducing court delays: Goering said he keeps cases on a strict schedule, ruling within two weeks of oral arguments and conducting regular in-person and Zoom status conferences to keep cases moving.
Judicial philosophy: Goering said the best advice he has received is to make sure all litigants get a day in court. He said he reads everything filed before hearings and allows all parties to speak and participate in their cases.
Voters can find more about Goering's record on his campaign website. The general election is Nov. 3.
