Michael H. Watson

Last updated
Michael Harrison Watson
Michael Watson District Judge.jpg
Senior Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 1, 2025

Watson was born in Akron, Ohio. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ohio State University in 1983 and his Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School in 1987. He was a member of the United States Air Force from 1975 to 1978 and was in the Ohio Air National Guard from 1978 to 1984. He rose to the rank of E5.

Watson was a bailiff/law clerk of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas from 1983 to 1988. He was in private practice in Ohio from 1988 to 1991 and was chief legal counsel of the Ohio Department of Commerce from 1991 to 1992. He was a deputy chief legal counsel in the Office of the Governor of Ohio from 1992 to 1994 and was chief legal counsel from 1994 to 1995. Watson was a judge to the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas from 1996 to 2003. He was a judge to the Tenth District Ohio Court of Appeal from 2003 to 2004.

Federal judicial service

President George W. Bush nominated Watson to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on April 6, 2004, [2] to the seat vacated by Judge James L. Graham. His nomination generated no controversy. He was confirmed by the Senate on September 7, 2004, [2] by a voice vote and he received his commission on September 10, 2004. He assumed senior status on November 1, 2025. [3]

Notable cases

  • Since 2018, Watson has presided over the Ohio State University abuse scandal lawsuits, which has stalled in mediation for over 3 years and favored OSU defendants [4] [5] In September 2021, it was revealed that Judge Watson failed to disclose that his wife has a licensing agreement with the university to sell OSU flags; the judge offered to hear arguments requesting his recusal. [6] Watson is also an adjunct faculty member at OSU, which would typically be a disqualification from presiding over his employer. The plaintiffs and Strauss survivors in these lawsuits are frustrated with the Judge and OSU. [7] However, the Sixth Circuit later ruled that none of these grounds required Judge Watson's recusal. [8] Ohio State appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States; the justices upheld the sixth circuit's ruling. [9]

References

  1. ↑ Hearing Before the Committee on the Judiciary, United States Senate, One Hundred Eighth Congress, First Session, Part 7 page 229.
  2. 1 2 "Presidential Nomination: Michael Harrison Watson". White House Archives.
  3. ↑ "Watson, Michael H." Federal Judicial Center . Retrieved November 2, 2025.
  4. ↑ Marshall, Colleen (5 May 2021). "Plaintiffs claim OSU bargaining in bad faith with Strauss victims". NBC4i . Retrieved 23 September 2021.
  5. ↑ Langer, Jessica; Orozco, Jessica (6 May 2021). "Strauss victims respond to Ohio State's proposed settlement program". The Lantern . Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  6. ↑ Kovac, Marc; Hendrix, Sheridan (2021-09-13). "Judge gives plaintiffs in Ohio State Strauss case until Sunday to request his recusal". The Columbus Dispatch . Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  7. ↑ Szilagy, Sarah (2 September 2021). Orozco, Jessica (ed.). "As deadline nears, Strauss victims seek accountability, not Ohio State's settlement program". The Lantern .
  8. ↑
  9. ↑ Siemaszko, Corky (2023-06-26). "Supreme Court rebuffs OSU and enables the remaining sex abuse victims to sue". NBC News . Retrieved 2024-08-23.

Sources

Legal offices
Preceded byJudge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
2004–2025		Vacant
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