Preceded by Robert Cupp Succeeded by Timothy P. Cannon Religion Roman Catholic | Preceded by Joseph E. Mahoney | |
Alma mater Ohio UniversityCleveland-Marshall College of Law Education Cleveland State University, Ohio University, Cleveland–Marshall College of Law | ||
William "Bill" Michael O'Neill (born May 6, 1947) is an American lawyer, judge and political figure. He was elected to the Ohio Supreme Court in 2012, for a term beginning January 2013. He served as an appellate judge on the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals for 10 years. Twice, O'Neill was the Democratic nominee for U.S. Representative in Ohio's 14th congressional district.
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Education and military service
O'Neill graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 1965 and Ohio University in 1969, at which point he joined the U.S. Army. He earned the Bronze Star in Vietnam and retired from the military in 2001 as a lieutenant colonel in the Ohio National Guard. With the help of the G.I. Bill, O'Neill graduated from Cleveland–Marshall College of Law in 1980. He also graduated from Huron School of Nursing as a registered nurse.
1996 Ohio Court of Appeals campaign
In 1996, O'Neill won a seat on the Ohio Eleventh District Court of Appeals with about 50% of the vote. He served from 1997 to 2007, when he resigned to run for Congress.
2004 Ohio Supreme Court Campaign
In a 2004 special election to finish the term of an Ohio Supreme Court justice who resigned, O'Neill lost to Terrence O'Donnell by 21%.
2006 Ohio Supreme Court Campaign
In 2006, O'Neill ran against O'Donnell again for a full-term on the Ohio Supreme Court. O'Neill lost again, by over 17%.
2008 Congressional campaign
O'Neill lost in his 2008 bid for Ohio's 14th congressional district seat to incumbent Steve LaTourette by nearly 20%.
2010 Congressional campaign
On February 6, 2010, O'Neill announced that he would be running again as the Democratic nominee for Ohio's 14th congressional district against LaTourette. O'Neill stated during his campaign his desire to expand the Greater Cleveland Rapid Transit rail system. O'Neill lost the election by over 33%.
2012 Ohio Supreme Court Campaign
In 2012, for the third time, O'Neill ran for the Ohio Supreme Court. He won a two-way primary against Fanon Rucker, a judge on the Hamilton County Municipal Court. O'Neill received 72% of the vote and carried all but one of Ohio's 88 counties. In the general election, O'Neill defeated incumbent Robert Cupp by four percent.
Personal life
O'Neill worked as a civil rights lawyer, small business owner, and union organizer. He is a registered nurse in the pediatric emergency department at Hillcrest Hospital in Mayfield Heights, Ohio.