Today, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce PAC announced its endorsement of Justices Sharon Kennedy and Judi French for reelection to the Ohio Supreme Court.

We joined four other groups in a joint announcement that included backing from Ohio Business Roundtable, Ohio Farm Bureau AGGPAC, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association PAC and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Ohio PAC.

Most judicial races aren’t as high-profile as others you might see advertising for during campaign season, but the Ohio Supreme Court races are incredibly important for the business community and especially so this election year.

When the business community lobbies the General Assembly in support of pro-business legislation, sometimes the original intent and interpretation of that legislation is contested in the court system. When the judicial branch makes the decision that the interpretation of the legislation should be altered, that new interpretation becomes law.

It is important to businesses that our courts refrain from the tendency of changing the interpretation of laws. This judicial restraint mitigates unpredictability in the legal climate. Other terms for handing down legal decisions that alter laws you may have heard before are “judicial activism” or “legislating from the bench.”

Justices Sharon Kennedy and Judi French both have a proven record of applying the law rather than “writing” law. We are proud to give them our endorsement, and we encourage business owners to support them in the voting booth this November. The joint press release from the five organizations can be viewed here.