Patrick "Pat" Fischer
Current Position: Ohio Supreme Court Justice
Running against Judge Terri Jamison
Bail Reform
Disagreed with the Court’s decision in DuBose v. McGuffey, arguing it used the wrong standard of review, failed to protect victims’ rights, and should have allowed consideration of public safety when setting cash bail
Redistricting
Criminal Justice Reform
Stated he needs more information before supporting the Criminal Sentencing Database, a project supported by Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor that is designed to assess and ensure fair and impartial treatment for all
Abortion
In a 2022 questionnaire for Greater Cincinnati Right to Life, Fischer agreed with the following statements:
"In Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court recognized a “right to privacy” under the Constitution that includes abortion. The Constitution does not include this right."
“An unborn child is biologically human at every stage of his or her biological development, beginning at fertilization.”
“There is no provision in the current Ohio Constitution intended to require the use of public funds for abortion.”
Compared abortion (Roe v. Wade) to slavery (Dred Scott) and segregation (Plessy v. Ferguson) in remarks at the Delaware City Republican Club on July 14, 2022
Joined the majority in 2018 in a 5-2 ruling to overturn lower court rulings that said state restrictions on abortion clinics were unconstitutional and upheld a state order to close Toledo's only abortion clinic for failing to follow state law
LGBTQ+ Issues
Clean Campaign
Declined to sign the Ohio State Bar Association’s Judicial Election Campaign Advertising Monitoring Committee's "clean campaign agreement"
2020 Election
Acknowledged that Joe Biden was President: "I don't know. I guess. He's the president, isn't he?" but when asked if the 2020 election results are legitimate, said: "I don't know if I'm allowed to take a position because I understand there is still some litigation... Under our ethics rules, I can't talk about any pending cases in the United States or its territories."
Endorsements include: Buckeye Firearms Association, Ohio Republican Party, Ohio Right to Life, Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Chamber of Commerce