Judge Russell brings a great depth of trial experience to the bench.  She was an Assistant Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney from 1984 until 2001, where she prosecuted cases in Juvenile Court,  Municipal Court, and over 1700 felonies and 6 of the most complex murder trials in the State of Ohio, in Common Pleas Court.  She was the first female team leader in the Major Trials Division of the prosecutor’s office.  One of her most famous cases involved a woman who had a mental health condition which caused her to pass out when she heard sexually charged words.  A neighbor purposely caused her to pass out and then raped her.  When she came to, she reported the rape, and each time she had to describe the rape for the police or the jury, she passed out.  CNN  televised highlights of this case on their worldwide news service, and LA Law used the case as a basis for an episode of its TV series.  It was a Channel 9 news story of the year.  She has served as Special Prosecutor in Adams and Preble Counties.  As a prosecutor, Judge Russell earned an instructor’s certificate from the Ohio Peace Officers’ Training Academy (OPOTA) and has instructed in the areas of domestic violence prosecution, homicide investigations and emergency room sexual assault protocol, at the Cincinnati Police Academy, Hamilton County Police Association, UC School of Social Work and Continuing Education, and Tri-Health.  She has also instructed at the Citizens’ Police Academies for Loveland, Forest Park, and the Hamilton County sheriff’s Department. 

            In 1999 Judge Russell won her election to the Loveland City Council, and she was also appointed as Chief of the Hamilton County Grand Jury, where she supervised all felony and misdemeanor indictments in Hamilton county, civil and criminal issues, and the County’s Diversion program.  She served as Chief of the Grand Jury and as Loveland City Councilwoman until she won her opposed election for Hamilton County Municipal Court, where she has served since January 2002.  She currently serves as the Chairman of the Hamilton County Municipal Court’s Personnel and Finance Committee.

            Judge Russell’s community service includes:

Member, Women Helping Women/Hamilton County Rape Crisis and Abuse Shelter’s Tom Oberschmidt Excellence in police investigations committee;

Member, Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s  Mayerson Child Advocacy Center Development Committee;

Member, Hamilton County domestic violence Coordinating Committee;

Past President, Valley Temple Sisterhood

Participant, Ursaline Academy Job Shadow Program

Life Member Hadassah

Baseball and  Basketball mom