ABOUT JUDGE ETHNA COOPER
Judge Ethna Marie Cooper has been a Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas judge since 2003. In addition to her regular duties on the Court, she founded and has served as the Presiding Judge of the Hamilton County Felony Veterans’ Treatment Court since 2011. This “special docket” court was the first Felony Veterans’ Treatment Court in the United States. This specialty docket assists veterans who come into contact with the criminal justice system by providing a comprehensive program to
rehabilitate these men and women who
served our country in the armed forces.
Currently, Judge Ethna Cooper is the
Assistant Presiding Judge of the Court of
Common Pleas and the Assistant
Administrative Judge of the Court of Common
Pleas General Division She is also the Chair
of the Court’s Personnel and Finance
Committee. Judge Ethna Cooper served as a
Hamilton County Municipal Court Judge from
2001 to 2003. Prior to being elected to the
Municipal Court in 2001, she was a partner at
Thompson Hine LLP focusing on litigation.
Judge Ethna Cooper is a graduate of Smith College, Notre Dame Law School, and the Harvard Law School Program for Instruction of Lawyers.
She received the “Above and Beyond Award” for her work on the Felony Veterans’ Treatment Court from the Office of the Secretary of Defense for her Employer Support of the National Guard and Reserve Force. She also received the “Award in Excellence Criminal Justice/Mental Health” from the National Alliance on Mental Illness for her work with veterans.
Judge Ethna Cooper is married and has three adult sons, an adorable infant granddaughter, and two rowdy but friendly dogs.