Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Robert A. Goering is running for a full term on the General Division bench in the Nov. 3 general election.
Goering, a Mariemont High School graduate, has served on the bench since February 2021. He said he is seeking the seat because of his depth of experience. "I was in a family law practice for 35 years and I have served as a Common Pleas Judge now almost 6 years," Goering said in a questionnaire response to the Anderson-Mariemont Journal. "I have handled thousands of cases many of which were jury trials."
Candidate information
- Office sought: Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge, General Division (Term Commencing 2/11)
- Election: Nov. 3, 2026
- Party: Nonpartisan race. Goering said he is endorsed by the Hamilton County Republican Party and the Fraternal Order of Police Local Lodge 69.
- Education: Mariemont High School (1978, class rank: third); BA, Denison University (cum laude, 1982); JD, Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University (1986)
- Family: Married with older children. His wife works for the Department of Justice.
- Website: goeringforjudge.com
Experience and public service
Goering practiced law for 35 years as a partner at Goering & Goering LLC before joining the bench. He was admitted to practice in Ohio, the U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of Ohio and the Eastern District of Kentucky, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
He served as Hamilton County Treasurer from 1991 to 2021, winning election seven times beginning in 1992. 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 has also served as an adjunct professor of bankruptcy at Chase College of Law since 2020 and 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 said his experience sets him apart. He pointed to his recent election as a Commercial Docket Judge to handle complex civil litigation as evidence of that distinction.
Court efficiency: Goering said he keeps cases on a strict time schedule, rules within two weeks of oral arguments and regularly reviews all cases. He said he conducts in-person and Zoom status conferences to keep cases moving.
Public finance background: Asked how his years leading county financial bodies informed his judicial work, Goering said the experience led to his election as a Commercial Docket Judge.
Notable case: Goering cited his role presiding over the three-week murder trial known locally as the "Gender Reveal" case as an accomplishment. Both defendants were found guilty and sentenced to long prison terms, and all issues and convictions were upheld on appeal, according to Goering.
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 beforehand and allows all parties to speak and be involved with their cases.
