Robert A. Goering, a sitting Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judge since February 2021, is seeking re-election to the General Division bench in the Nov. 3 general election.

Goering said he is running because he has the experience to handle difficult cases. He pointed to nearly six years on the bench and 35 years in family law practice before that. "I have handled thousands of cases many of which were jury trials," Goering said in a questionnaire submitted to Surround Sound News. "I have sentenced murderers, rapist and I have the experience to protect our community."

Hamilton County Common Pleas Court handles civil and criminal cases for residents across the county, including Hyde Park, Oakley and Mount Lookout.

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge, General Division (Term Commencing Feb. 11)
  • Party: The seat is nonpartisan. Goering said he is endorsed by the Hamilton County Republican Party and the Fraternal Order of Police Local Lodge 69.
  • Education: BA, cum laude, Denison University (1982); JD, Chase College of Law, Northern Kentucky University (1986). Goering graduated third in his class at Mariemont High School.
  • Family: Married with older children. His wife works for the Department of Justice.
  • Admitted to practice: 1986, 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 6th Circuit.

Experience and public service

Goering served as Hamilton County Treasurer from 1991 to 2021, winning election seven times starting in 1992. During that tenure he also served as president of the Hamilton County Board of Revision, Budget Commission and Investment Advisory Committee from 1992 to 2021.

He was an incorporator of the Hamilton County Land Bank in 2016 and served as its president until 2021. He also practiced law as a partner at Goering & Goering LLC from 1986 to 2021 and taught bankruptcy law as an adjunct professor at Chase College of Law beginning in 2020.

Since joining the bench in 2021, Goering has chaired the Common Pleas Court Rules Committee starting in 2022. Fellow judges elected him to serve as a Commercial Docket Judge handling complex civil litigation.

On the issues

Case management and court delays: Goering said he keeps cases on a strict schedule, ruling within two weeks of oral arguments. He holds in-person or Zoom status conferences to keep cases moving, he said.

Qualifications and key differences: His selection as a Commercial Docket Judge sets him apart from other candidates, Goering said. He cited his experience handling complex civil cases and his background in public finance.

Public finance background on the bench: His years leading the county's Board of Revision, Budget Commission and Land Bank informed his judicial work, Goering said. That experience led to his election as a Commercial Docket Judge.

Notable case: Goering said he presided over the three-week murder trial known locally as the "Gender Reveal" case. Both defendants were found guilty. They were 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 follows 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 participate in their cases.