WILLIAM VODREY
Education
Oberlin College (B.A. 1987) – Honors in Government; History minor
Visiting Professor of Legal Advocacy, Law Scholars Program (2007-present)
Alumni Medal, for “outstanding, sustained, or unique service to Oberlin College” (2018)
Case Western Reserve University School of Law (J.D. 1992)
Public Service
Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Cuyahoga County (2021-present) – I now have the honor of serving as an elected judge of this countywide trial court, handling criminal cases involving felonies up to and including the death penalty, and civil cases in which $15,000 or more is at issue
Magistrate, Cleveland Municipal Court (2001-2020) – Presided over both jury and bench trials; ruled in criminal, civil and traffic cases, including motions, objections and sentencing; wrote 21 officially-reported decisions
Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Cuyahoga County (1995-2001) – Served in felony trial, Juvenile Court and child support units
Staff Attorney, Southeast Ohio Legal Services, New Philadelphia, Ohio (1993-1995) – Worked primarily on civil protection orders, domestic relations, and utility law issues for indigent clients. Secretary of Natl. Organization of Legal Service Workers, UAW Local 2320
Private practice, Vodrey Law Firm, East Liverpool, Ohio (1992-1993) – Real estate and business law
Intern, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Cleveland (Summer 1990); U.S. District Judge Alice M. Batchelder (Summer 1991)
Admitted to bars of U.S. Supreme Court, Supreme Court of Ohio, Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, U.S. District Court for both Northern and Southern Districts of Ohio
Political Commitment
Volunteered for virtually every Democratic nominee for President of the United States and Governor of Ohio from 1984 to 2018, as well as for other Democratic candidates
National Field Staff, Mike Dukakis for President (1987-1988) – Served in New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, and at Democratic National Convention in Atlanta
Member of and contributor to Cuyahoga County Democratic Party (1998-present)
Community Involvement
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Cleveland Heights (1989-present) – Lector, Vestry, usher, Adult Forum Committee member, architectural tour guide. Member, National Episcopal Court of Review, the highest appellate tribunal for ecclesiastical trials of priests and deacons (2019-2022)
Cleveland Flag Project (2024-present) – Member, Flag Selection Committee
Shaker Heights High School (2013-present) – Legal advisor, Mock Trial Club
Cleveland Civil War Roundtable (1995-present) – Member; former president and board member
Greater Cleveland Food Bank (1994-present) – Member
Supreme Court of Ohio, Lawyer to Lawyer Mentoring Program (2008-2018) – Mentor to young lawyers
American Constitution Society, Northeast Ohio Chapter (2008-present) – Member and former board member
Greater Cleveland Congregations (2011-present) – Member
Boy Scout Troop 662, Shaker Heights (2012-present) – Merit badge counselor
Eagle Scout, Troop 11, East Liverpool, Ohio (1981)
Personal
Married to Susan Carnahan Vodrey since 1990; three adult sons.
January 3, 2021 – Sworn into office by Justice Melody Stewart of the Ohio Supreme Court
October 17, 2010 – Meeting the President and Mrs. Obama
Judge Vodrey has been a mentor for dozens of law and college students over the years, and really enjoys it. Oberlin College undergrad Matthew Grogan, for instance, spent the summer of 2025 interning with him. In addition to observing trial proceedings and discussing cases with the judge, the Politics major helped jurors, talked to prosecutors and defense lawyers, and did legal research.
“This internship has made me a lot more confident in my ability to learn about the law,” says Matthew.
