Judge Christian A. Jenkins is seeking a second term on the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, General Division, in the Nov. 3, 2026, election. He faces Betsy Sundermann for the term beginning Jan. 2, 2027, according to the county’s certified candidate list.
The list records Jenkins as Democratic and Sundermann as Republican. Party labels do not appear beside candidates for this Common Pleas seat on the general election ballot.
Experience and education
Jenkins began his six-year term Jan. 2, 2021, according to his official court biography. Before joining the bench he spent more than 25 years in private practice, including employment litigation, complex litigation, national class actions and work for public-sector unions. He began at a Milwaukee law firm and moved to Cincinnati in 1998.
He attended Penn State as an undergraduate and Georgetown and Wisconsin law schools, receiving his law degree from Wisconsin with high honors, according to the court.
Judicial record
In October 2024, Jenkins issued a permanent injunction in Preterm-Cleveland v. Yost blocking Ohio’s six-week abortion ban and other provisions of Senate Bill 23 under the state constitution’s reproductive rights amendment.
A Jan. 7, 2026, First District appellate decision left the unchallenged injunction against the six-week ban in place, reversed the injunction covering other disputed provisions and returned the case for further proceedings. The ruling is part of Jenkins’s judicial record, rather than a promise about future cases.
Endorsements and questionnaire
The Hamilton County Democratic Party and Eastside Democratic Club endorse Jenkins for 2026. His campaign website describes him as progressive. He did not return this outlet’s candidate questionnaire.
