Karen K. Gallagher at a glance
- Current role
- Judge
- Jurisdiction
- Ohio · State
- Judicial service
- Active
Karen K. Gallagher
Biography
Professional career
- On December 31, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine appointed her as the probate and juvenile judge, and she officially assumed office on February 9, 2021
Education
- Bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and her J.D. from the University of Toledo College of Law
Additional information
- She held the role of a magistrate for the Williams County Common Pleas Court starting in May 2016.
- Practiced private law for over 30 years in northwest Ohio, including as owner of Gallagher & Gallagher, LLC in Bryan, Ohio.
- Judge Karen Gallagher oversees the Williams County Common Pleas Court, Juvenile and Probate Divisions
- handling a wide range of cases.
- In the Probate Division, she manages estates, trusts, guardianships, adoptions, marriage licenses, wrongful death claims, and other civil matters.
- In the Juvenile Division, she presides over cases involving juvenile delinquency, abuse, neglect, dependency, truancy, juvenile traffic offenses, and parentage issues.
- Her appointment marked a historic milestone: she became the first woman in the 201-year history of Williams County to hold the gavel for the Probate and Juvenile Divisions.
- She won the seat unopposed in the November election to replace retiring Judge Steven R. Bird.
Applicable Court Rules & Procedures
Remote appearances
Statewide
Ohio's statewide virtual-court guidance tells courts to include instructions for submitting exhibits or notifying the court of witnesses when remote-hearing information is sent to participants.
Instructions for submitting exhibits or notifying the court of witnesses.Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings ↗
Statewide
Ohio's statewide virtual-court guidance recommends advance ground rules for documents, exhibits, screen sharing, and pre-marking exhibits for remote hearings.
Documents: Share any documents/exhibits that will be reviewed in advance. Use the share screen function while documents are being discussed during the hearing. Request that the documents are pre-marked for exhibit purposes.Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings ↗
Statewide
Ohio's statewide virtual-court guidance states that litigants, attorneys, and the public should be instructed not to record the hearing.
The court should instruct the litigants, attorneys, and the public to not record the hearing.Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings ↗
Sources
Identity source checked July 27, 2026.
Biography sources checked July 27, 2026.
Ohio Judicial Conference Directory official judicial roster
Identity source · HTML · Source checked July 27, 2026
View Ohio Judicial Conference Directory official judicial roster ↗Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings
Statewide source · HTML · Source checked July 26, 2026
View Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings ↗