Honorable Donte Johnson
Hamilton County Courthouse
1000 Main Street
Room 270
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
Amber Worthen, Bailiff
Phone Number: 513-946-5165
Fax: 513-946-5167
About Judge Johnson
Judge Donte Johnson was elected to the Hamilton County Municipal Court bench on November 2, 2021. Prior to taking office, he served as a sole practitioner focusing on criminal defense, plaintiff's litigation and probate law. Before joining the private bar, he served as a Public Defender and Housing Attorney.
Judge Johnson is a native of Cincinnati. He's a Cincinnati Public Schools graduate from Clark Montessori High School, a Howard University graduate, and a graduate of the University of Cincinnati, College of Law.
He is very active in the community and serves as a motivational speaker and mentor to students and young attorneys. He’s a member of the American Judges Association, Ohio Black Judges Association, National Bar Association, Ohio Bar Association, Cincinnati Bar Association, Black Lawyers Association of Cincinnati, Cincinnati NAACP, and the League of United Latin American Citizens.
Civil Standing Orders
Case Management Conference
Counsel or parties must appear in person for the initial Case Management Conference. If counsel or parties are located outside of Hamilton County, they may appear via phone. Parties are required to discuss the matter before the conference.
Scheduling Order
The court will issue a Scheduling Order that will include a trial date, pre-trial date, motion deadline and discovery deadline. Parties are not permitted to extend any deadline without court approval.
Discovery
The parties are to act in good faith and fulfill their respective discovery obligations. If a dispute cannot be resolved, motions to compel are to be filed in advance of the discovery deadline.
Motion Practice
All motions must be in writing and the court must be provided with a courtesy copy. The court will schedule oral argument via entry.
Calendaring and Continuances
All requests for extensions of time, modifications of scheduling order and continuances must be made in writing. Counsel should contact opposing counsel prior to filing such a motion to determine whether the motion will be opposed. When requesting an extension or continuance, parties should provide the court with a specific date for the continuance, preferably with the concurrence of opposing counsel. Trial dates are continued only in exceptional circumstances and only by the court.
Mediation
The parties may be referred to the mediation services program upon request.
Availability
The court is available to counsel to help resolve any issues.