Holcomb seeks probate judge seat in Butler County

John M. Holcomb is running for Butler County Common Pleas Court Judge in the Probate Division for the term commencing Feb. 9. The nonpartisan race appears on the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot.

Holcomb has served as a Butler County Common Pleas Court judge since 2021, according to BallotReady.

He is certified for the ballot.

Holcomb was sent a candidate questionnaire by the Herald but had not responded as of press time.

Candidate information

Residence: Hamilton, Ohio
Education: Diploma, Stephen T. Badin High School (1984); bachelor's degree in history, Xavier University; juris doctor, The University of Toledo
Family: Wife, Karen, a teacher at New Miami School; children Julie and Jack

Experience and public service

Holcomb served as an assistant prosecuting attorney at the Butler County Prosecutor's Office from 1993 to 2000, according to his official biography on the Butler County Probate Court website. He has been an attorney at Garretson & Holcomb, LLP, since 2000, according to BallotReady.

He served as a Criminal Justice Act panel member at the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Ohio, from 2001 to 2006, according to his probate court biography. Before becoming a judge, Holcomb was admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the Ohio Supreme Court, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Holcomb was admitted to the bar in 1991 after earning the top score in Ohio on the Multistate Bar Examination and scoring in the top 3 percent on the Ohio Bar Examination, according to his official biography on the Butler County Probate Court website. He was a member of the Federalist Society while at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, according to his probate court biography. He was also recognized as a Super Lawyers Rising Star, according to the same biography.

On the issues

Holcomb's policy priorities for the probate division were not available. He did not return the Herald's candidate questionnaire, and no official campaign website could be located.