Priorities & Experience
SAFE NEIGHBORHOODS.
HEALTHY FAMILIES.
My judicial and legal career has been centered around helping families in crisis, whether in adoption, mental health cases, or domestic relations.
On City Council, I led efforts to hire more police officers and firefighters to keep our neighborhoods secure.
As a current Domestic Relations Judge, I apply the law with consistency, discipline, and compassion.
JUDGE BETSY SUNDERMANN
For me, public service has always been about putting families first. It’s not just a campaign slogan, it’s the principle that has guided every step of my career in law and public service.
First and foremost, I’m a mother to two beautiful girls. There is no greater title I hold than “mom,” and no higher calling than raising strong, compassionate, and thoughtful daughters. Being a mom has taught me patience, resilience, and the importance of standing firm in your values – lessons I bring to the bench every day.
As an attorney, I dedicated much of my work to helping individuals struggling with mental illness. I fought to get people the help they needed, not just through treatment, but through real second chances.
Meet Betsy
JUDGE BETSY SUNDERMANN
Judge Betsy Sundermann serves on the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division. Elected in 2022, she brings more than two decades of experience in public service and law to the bench, with a career grounded in protecting families and strengthening public safety.
Judge Sundermann began her legal career as an Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor, serving for 13 years in a wide range of divisions including juvenile, dependency, drug forfeiture, municipal, and appellate. Her legal background also includes roles as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney, a U.S. Army JAG Corps law clerk, a federal judicial law clerk, and a Guardian ad Litem with the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office. In 2016, she was appointed magistrate in Hamilton County Probate Court, where she served for five years, handling adult guardianships, mental health cases, and adoptions.
In March 2020, she was appointed to the Cincinnati City Council. While serving on Council, she became known as a strong voice for ethics reform and government accountability during a time of scandal and public distrust. She championed public safety, supported the hiring of additional police officers, pushed for neighborhood cleanup initiatives, and prioritized transparency in city government.