Hon. Nicole L. Sanders

Nicole Sanders is a magistrate judge serving on the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas General Division in Ohio. She assumed office on January 3, 2021, after winning the 2020 election. Sanders earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Cincinnati in 2000 and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law. Her legal career began as an Assistant City Prosecutor in the City of Cincinnati Prosecutor's Office, where she handled municipal criminal, vehicular homicide, and traffic cases. She was later promoted to Assistant City Solicitor, managing general civil litigation, contract law, income tax, personal injury defense, administrative law, and employment law matters. Sanders also served as Prosecutor for the Mental Health Court and as Chief Counsel, a section she created and led. In April 2013 she was appointed as a Common Pleas Magistrate in the Hamilton County Juvenile Court, where she worked closely with individuals facing addiction. In 2021 she became the judge of the Hamilton County Drug Court, focusing on expanding treatment access and addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system. Her practice areas include criminal law, civil litigation, contract law, tax law, personal injury defense, administrative law, employment law, mental health court, and drug court. Sanders is licensed to practice law in Ohio. She is known for her commitment to justice, fairness, compassion, and restorative justice, and she has been recognized for creating a successful Chief Counsel section within the Cincinnati Law Department.