WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today applauded the nomination of Sarah Morrison by President Trump to serve as U.S. Federal District Court Judge for the Southern District of Ohio. Portman and Brown recommended the President nominate Administrator Morrison for the vacancy in Columbus, Ohio, which was created upon the retirement of the Honorable Gregory L. Frost.  The nomination will now be vetted by the Senate Judiciary Committee before being considered for confirmation by the full U.S. Senate.  The Southern District has court locations in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton and serves more than five million Ohioans in 48 counties.  

“I applaud the President’s decision to nominate Sarah Morrison to serve as Columbus’s newest federal judge,” said Portman.  “Administrator Morrison enjoys widespread support because of her significant experience in both the public and private sectors, including her time as CEO of Ohio’s Bureau of Workers Compensation. She will make Ohio proud in this new role.”  

“Sarah Morrison is a seasoned lawyer and public servant who has what it takes to serve Ohio’s Southern District,” said Brown. “She brings a broad range of legal experience to the table, which will help her tackle the issues she will face as a judge. I’m pleased to join Senator Portman in supporting her nomination.”

“I am honored to be nominated for the position of federal district judge, and I sincerely appreciate the support of Senators Portman and Brown,” said Administrator Morrison. 

Administrator Sarah Morrison: Ohio Governor John Kasich appointed Sarah Morrison Administrator/CEO of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation in May 2016. She leads an agency of more than 1,900 employees that serves more than 250,000 employers and administers nearly one million open claims.  Morrison joined BWC in November 2012 with more than 15 years of diverse legal experience. Prior to joining BWC, she was a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister, LLP in Columbus. She has specialized in various types of civil and commercial litigation, including complex litigation and class actions. Her trial practice involved appearances in federal and state courts, and she has argued before the Ohio Supreme Court.  Morrison began her career as a law clerk with the Chester Wilcox & Saxbe law firm. She also served one year as a judicial law clerk for Judge John D. Holschuh of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.  She earned a bachelor's degree in political science from Ohio State University and a law degree from the Capital University Law School.

NOTE: The President of the United States nominates U.S. District Court Judges based on recommendations from U.S. Senators. Those recommendations are then vetted by the White House and the Senate Judiciary Committee before being considered for confirmation by the full U.S. Senate.  U.S. District Courts are general trial courts that hear both civil and criminal cases.

 

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