Marilyn Zayas is running for Ohio Supreme Court Justice in the Nov. 3 general election. Zayas, a Democrat, has served on Ohio's First District Court of Appeals since 2016. Republican Daniel R. Hawkins is also running.

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

Candidate information

Party: Democrat

Education: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "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."

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 … I am also a mother of three adult children."

Zayas was born in East Harlem, New York City, according to her Wikipedia biography. According to her biography on the First District Court of Appeals website, she became the first person of Latino heritage elected to a Court of Appeals in Ohio in 2016 and the first Latina elected to any position in Hamilton County.

Experience and public service

Zayas described her work history in our questionnaire: "I am a Judge on the Ohio First District Court of Appeals, where I have served for nearly a decade and decided more than 2,000 appeals across Ohio. I have also served repeatedly on the Ohio Supreme Court by special assignment, replacing a recused justice."

She added: "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."

Before practicing law, Zayas said she "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."

According to her court biography, Zayas founded the "Educating Tomorrow's Leaders" program after her 2016 election. The program invites students to the Court of Appeals to interact with judges and attorneys. The Hispanic National Bar Association selected her as the 2024 Latina Judge of the Year.

On the issues

Judges and political endorsements: Asked about the Ohio Supreme Court's ruling that judges may make political endorsements, 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 … I will never endorse a political candidate. I believe judges should leave politics at the courthouse door."

Precedent: Asked when the court should overrule its earlier decisions, 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. 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 and judicial experience: 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." On the court's broader role, Zayas said: "The Supreme Court possesses policy and administrative authority that courts of appeals do not, including oversight of specialized dockets that actively reduce crime. I strongly support the appropriate expansion of Veterans, Mental Health, and Drug Courts to foster safer communities."

What sets her apart: Zayas said in our questionnaire: "I bring nearly a decade of appellate judicial experience, over 2,000 appeals decided, and nearly 20 years as an attorney. In 2025, the Ohio Supreme Court's Chief Justice selected me three times within 40 days to sit on the Ohio Supreme Court, an unprecedented reflection of trust."