Judge Dana S. Preisse: Professional Background and Legal Expertise

Hon. Dana S. Preisse is a judge for the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas (Domestic Relations and Juvenile Division) in Ohio. She was most recently appointed to the bench by Governor Mike DeWine in August 2021 to fill the vacancy created by the election of the Hon. Terri B. Jamison to the Tenth District Court of Appeals.

Prior to her appointment, Preisse had lost her bid for re-election in 2020. She was first elected to the bench in 1996 and re-elected in 2002, 2008, and 2014. Upon her defeat, she left her seat on January 1, 2021. At the time, Preisse was the longest-serving Domestic Relations and Juvenile Court judge.

During her judicial tenure, she presided as the administrative judge and lead juvenile judge. She is also credited with spearheading the first Drug Court in Franklin County in 2002. The Family Recovery Court was created to speed up the reunification of children with their substance-dependent parents by attempting to eliminate the substance abuse, or in other instances, finding a permanent placement for children whose parents are unable to maintain sobriety. In addition, Preisse was chair of the interdisciplinary team, Beyond Numbers, whose goal was to improve local practice in abuse, neglect, and dependency cases.

She received a B.A. in journalism from Ohio State University in 1982. Preisse went on to complete a J.D. at Capital University Law School in 1985.

Before joining the judiciary, she had worked for several years as a litigation and family law attorney in private practice. During that time, Preisse practiced as an attorney in the law firm of Earl Warburton Adams & Davis (1987 to 1997) and at Paxton & Associates (1985 to 1987).

Her memberships have included the Columbus Bar Association’s Family Law Committee and the Ohio Judicial Conference’s Juvenile Law and Procedure and Domestic Law and Procedure Committees. Preisse has also held memberships with the Ohio Association of Domestic Relations Judges (president), the Ohio Association of Juvenile Judges (co-chair), the Columbus Bar Association, and the Ohio State Bar Association.

Her civic involvement included the United Way Agency (board member), Traynor Halfway House (board member), the Center for Family Safety and Healing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (board member), and the Women’s Board for the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

Preisse is registered as a Republican.