11.17 CSU Law Graduate: Justice Melody J. Stewart

In 2018, Justice Melody J. Stewart was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court, becoming the first African American woman to serve in this capacity. Her election was a historic achievement, reflecting her exceptional qualifications and dedication to the legal profession. She served in that role from 2019 to 2025.  

Prior to this, Justice Stewart served on the Eighth District Court of Appeals for over a decade, where she authored hundreds of opinions, shaping Ohio law. During her tenure, she was known for her meticulous legal reasoning and commitment to justice. In academia, she held leadership roles as the administrator for health law programs and served as a faculty member at the University of Toledo College of Law, where she taught legal ethics and professional responsibility.  

Justice Stewart’s contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, including the Nettie Cronise Lutes Award (named after the first woman licensed to practice law in the state) from the Ohio State Bar Association, underscoring her impact on the Ohio judiciary. She is an alumna of Cleveland State University’s College of Law and earned a PhD from Case Western Reserve University.