Alan C. Triggs, a sitting Hamilton County Common Pleas Court judge, is running for re-election to the General Division bench in the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election. The Common Pleas Court handles felony criminal cases and major civil matters for all Hamilton County residents, including those in Hyde Park, Oakley and Mount Lookout.

The race is nonpartisan on the ballot, though Triggs identifies as a Democrat and holds endorsements from the Hamilton County Democratic Party and the AFL-CIO. He said he is seeking another term because he remains "deeply committed to serving our community with fairness, integrity, and respect for the rule of law."

Candidate information

  • Office sought: Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge, General Division (term commencing Feb. 10, 2027)
  • Party affiliation: Democrat
  • Residence: Anderson Township, where he has lived since 1998
  • Family: Married 28 years; one daughter
  • Education: Bachelor's in finance and accounting, Memphis State University (1991); Juris Doctor, University of Akron School of Law (1994); Master of Laws in business law, Concord Law School (listed as Purdue University in one profile source)
  • Endorsements: Hamilton County Democratic Party; AFL-CIO

Experience and public service

Triggs has served at every level of Ohio's trial courts. He has been a Common Pleas judge since 2021, after serving as a Hamilton County Municipal Court judge from 2018 to 2021. Before that, he was a Hamilton County Municipal Court magistrate from 2001 to 2011, according to his Judicial Votes Count profile. He also served as a magistrate for the Villages of Lincoln Heights and Woodlawn and the Cities of Silverton and Golf Manor during the same period.

Earlier in his career, Triggs worked as an assistant Cincinnati city prosecutor from 1997 to 2001 and as an assistant Cincinnati city solicitor. He also served as general counsel for CMI Inc., a subsidiary of MPD Inc., from 2011 to 2018. He has maintained a private law practice focused on tax and accounting since 1995.

Triggs said he comes from "a long line of government workers, including police officers, firefighters, and City of Cincinnati maintenance workers," calling public service "an important tradition" in his family.

On the issues

What sets him apart from other candidates: Triggs said the key difference is the breadth of his legal and judicial experience. He pointed to his work as both a prosecutor and defense attorney, his corporate counsel role, and his Master of Laws degree. "This combination of courtroom, corporate, and judicial experience uniquely prepares me to continue to serve effectively in this post," he said in his questionnaire response to Surround Sound News.

How his judicial experience shapes his courtroom: Triggs said effective docket management is essential "not simply to move cases, but to ensure that each case receives the time and attention it deserves." He said he runs his courtroom with an even temper and has built a database of prior decisions and legal research to address recurring motions promptly.

Reducing delays in felony cases: Triggs said implementing stricter discovery deadlines for prosecutors would significantly reduce delays. He identified late disclosure of body-worn camera footage by police agencies as a major cause of continuances.

On leadership: The best advice he ever received, Triggs said, was that "effective leadership does not require raising one's voice or displaying anger to maintain control of a situation."