Marilyn Zayas, a Democrat and judge on Ohio's First District Court of Appeals, is running for Ohio Supreme Court Justice in the Nov. 3 general election. She faces Republican Daniel R. Hawkins.

Asked why she is seeking the seat, Zayas said in the Dublin Ledger's candidate questionnaire: "I believe everyone deserves courts they can trust to follow the Constitution, the law and the facts, not politics." She added, "I have accepted zero corporate contributions from energy, banking or insurance interests because judicial independence matters."

Candidate information

Party: "Democrat. Judicial office, however, requires independence from political parties. A judge's responsibility is not to a party, candidate or political interest. It is to the Constitution, the law and the facts," Zayas said in our questionnaire.

Education: "J.D., University of Cincinnati College of Law, 1997. B.S. in Computer Science, City College of the City University of New York (CUNY), 1987," Zayas said.

Family: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "My parents came to the United States from Puerto Rico. My mother had only a seventh-grade education and worked as a factory seamstress. After leaving a difficult marriage, she raised three children on a factory salary." She added, "I am also a mother of three adult children."

Experience and public service

Zayas has served on Ohio's First District Court of Appeals since 2016. According to her biography on the court's website, she became the first person of Latino heritage elected to a Court of Appeals in Ohio and the first Latina elected to any position in Hamilton County.

Asked about her work history, Zayas said in our questionnaire: "I have nearly 20 years of experience as an attorney, representing individuals, families and businesses in state and federal matters, including criminal, family, immigration, intellectual property, labor and employment, custody, adoption and business cases." She said that before practicing law, "I worked as an IT Manager at Procter & Gamble, where I solved complex problems. Used my savings to attend law school, then built a legal career focused on serving people and solving problems."

Asked about accomplishments qualifying her for the role, Zayas said: "In 2025, the Chief Justice, who is from a different political party, selected me three times within 40 days to sit by special assignment on the Ohio Supreme Court to replace a recused justice. This was an unprecedented honor reflecting deep professional trust."

She also founded the Educating Tomorrow's Leaders program after her 2016 election. She said in our questionnaire that "more than 2,000 high school, undergraduate and law school students across Ohio have participated."

The Hispanic National Bar Association selected Zayas as its 2024 Latina Judge of the Year, according to her court biography.

On the issues

Judicial endorsements of political candidates: In April, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled 5-1 that judges may make political endorsements. Asked about the decision, Zayas said in our questionnaire: "I disagree with the decision because judicial independence is not only about being impartial; it is also about maintaining public confidence in that impartiality." She added, "I will never endorse a political candidate. I believe judges should leave politics at the courthouse door."

Precedent: Zayas said: "Stability in the law is essential. Precedent should carry substantial weight because people, courts, businesses and government rely on established law when making decisions." She added, "The Supreme Court should overrule its prior decisions only when there is a compelling reason to do so … A court should not change the law simply because the composition of the court has changed or because a different result is preferred."

Party labels on judicial ballots: Asked whether party labels should appear on Ohio Supreme Court ballots, Zayas said: "I believe that both party endorsements and partisan ballot labels politicize the judiciary and undermine public confidence in independent courts."

Specialized courts: Zayas said she "strongly support[s] the appropriate expansion of Veterans, Mental Health, and Drug Courts to foster safer communities."