Biography of Judge David Branstool

Judge David Branstool currently serves as a Judge of the Licking County Common Pleas Court, General Division. He was elected to the Licking County Common Pleas Court in 2010. Previously, he served as a Judge on the Licking County Municipal Court from 2003 to 2010.

While on the Municipal Court, Judge Branstool started Licking County’s first specialized court docket known as the LIFT Program to better supervise offenders dealing with mental health issues. In November 2010, Judge Branstool received the Special Community Contribution Award from the Community Mental Health and Recovery Board of Licking and Knox Counties for his contribution to the LIFT Program. In April 2011, Judge Branstool started a similar Drug Court program in Common Pleas Court for offenders struggling with substance abuse issues. In 2014, Judge Branstool received the Licking County Wellness and Recovery Champion Award, for leadership in increasing public awareness of the impact of addiction and mental health issues in the community, from the Community Mental Health and Recovery Board of Licking and Knox Counties.

Judge Branstool has served as an instructor for the Ohio Judicial College, the Ohio Creditor Attorneys Association and the Licking County Bar Association. In addition, he was elected as a Trustee of the Association of Municipal/County Court Judges of Ohio while a Municipal Court Judge.

Judge Branstool is a member of the Licking County Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He serves on the Jury Service and Criminal Law and Procedure Committee of the Ohio Judicial Conference. Additionally, he serves on the OSBA Jury Instructions Committee.

Prior to assuming the bench, Judge Branstool practiced law in Central Ohio for nearly ten years. Judge Branstool was born and raised in Utica, Ohio, and graduated from Utica High School in 1985. He received his undergraduate degree from the Ohio State University in 1989 and his law degree from Capital University in 1994. During law school, he served as a member of the Law Review (1992-1993) and earned the American Jurisprudence Award in Constitutional Law (1992).