The Supreme Court of Ohio - Supreme Court - State of Ohio

Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton was born
to missionary parents in Bangkok, Thailand, and spent her
childhood in Southeast Asia, where she attended boarding
school in South Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam
War, and later in Malaysia. While she traveled to America
periodically with her parents in her younger years, she returned
to the United States alone at age 18, with only a few hundred
dollars. She worked her way through school, receiving a juris
doctor from The Ohio State University College of Law.
Justice Stratton’s legal career began in the courtrooms of
central Ohio as a trial lawyer. In 1989, as the first woman
judge elected to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas,
she presided over cases ranging from capital murder trials to
major civil actions. In her years on the bench, she established
a solid record of judicial integrity, fairness and diligence. Her
approach to sentencing in serious felony cases earned her the
nickname “The Velvet Hammer.”
Justice Stratton is committed to her community and her
efforts led to major changes in adoption law. Justice Stratton
led a nationwide effort to expedite adoption appeals and
provided strong leadership as a former member of the board
of trustees for the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and
Prevent Blindness Ohio.
With a partnership between courts and the mental health
system, Justice Stratton believes many defendants whose mental
illness is the basis of their criminal activity can be helped and
their lives improved. She formed the Supreme Court Advisory
Committee on Mental Illness & the Courts, a task force of
mental health, legal and criminal justice professionals from
around the state that focuses on mental health initiatives in the
court system.
Justice Stratton also leads national efforts to help those with
mental illness. She is a cofounder of the National Judges’
Leadership Initiative, which supports mental health efforts,
and she serves as co-chair of the Returning Home Advisory
Commission, which assists in re-entry by those from jails and
prisons in order to reduce recidivism and its cost to society.
Among Justice Stratton’s many honors is the U.S. Department
of Health & Human Services Adoption Excellence Award. She
also was honored as an Angel in Adoption by the Congressional
Coalition on Adoption Institute.
In May 2008, Justice Stratton received an Ellis Island Medal
of Honor, which pays tribute to Americans of diverse origins
for their outstanding contributions to their communities,
the country and world. Ranked among the nation’s most
prestigious awards, its recipients are listed in the Congressional
Record.
Evelyn Lundberg
Stratton
Justice
2008 Staff
David T. Bartleson
Sue A. Bowery
Connie A. Crim
Kristina L. Hawk
2008 Annual Report • The Supreme Court of Ohio
5
Clerk's division
Office of the Clerk
Case Mediation Section