---
title: "Melena S. Siebert | KnowJudges"
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# Melena S. Siebert

Twelfth District Court of Appeals · Court of Appeals Judge

## Profile

- Court: Twelfth District Court of Appeals
- State: Ohio
- Role: Court of Appeals Judge
- Service status: active
- Last verified: 2026-07-27

## Summary

Official statewide and applicable court procedural guidance applies to this judge.

## Biography

### Professional career

- Republican‐party judge of the Ohio Twelfth District Court of Appeals, elected in 2024 and serving since February 9, 2025, with a term ending in 2031
- In August 2026, she joined hear a case on the Ohio Supreme Court when Justice Megan E. Shanahan recused herself, per Ohio Constitution provisions
- Elected Judge of the Twelfth District Court of Appeals in the November 5, 2024 general election, defeating the only other candidate in the race
- Siebert describes herself as a conservative, constitutional textualist and originalist, citing Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Clarence Thomas as role models
- She later returned to law school at age 46, pursuing her lifelong goal of becoming a lawyer

### Education

- Bachelor in Business Administration — Carl H. Lindner College of Business

### Additional information

- Born in Xenia, Ohio, Siebert obtained a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Cincinnati in 1991 and a J.D. from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2017.
- She serves alongside four other judges, with terms staggered and lasting six years

## Before you appear

- Read the judge-specific standing order first when one is listed.
- Check the docket and case orders for requirements that supersede broader guidance.
- Confirm current remote-access and courtroom technology arrangements before the proceeding.

## Courtroom Rules

### remote hearing exhibits

Scope: 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.

Evidence excerpt: Instructions for submitting exhibits or notifying the court of witnesses.

[Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings](https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/virtual-court/)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### remote hearing ground rules

Scope: statewide

Ohio's statewide virtual-court guidance recommends advance ground rules for documents, exhibits, screen sharing, and pre-marking exhibits for remote hearings.

Evidence excerpt: 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](https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/virtual-court/)
Source checked: 2026-07-26

### remote recording

Scope: statewide

Ohio's statewide virtual-court guidance states that litigants, attorneys, and the public should be instructed not to record the hearing.

Evidence excerpt: The court should instruct the litigants, attorneys, and the public to not record the hearing.

[Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings](https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/virtual-court/)
Source checked: 2026-07-26


## Sources

- [Official profile](https://www.ohiojudges.org/directory/ojc-directory/)
- [Official roster](https://www.ohiojudges.org/directory/ojc-directory/)
- [Ohio Judicial Conference Directory official judicial roster](https://www.ohiojudges.org/directory/ojc-directory/)
- [Virtual Public Access to Ohio Court Proceedings](https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/courts/virtual-court/)
- [Wikidata: Melena S. Siebert](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q139120494)

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