courtnewsohio.gov
By Christine Holmes | May 19, 2026
In Cuyahoga County, Pamela Hawkins, of Highland Heights, was appointed to the domestic relations court. She began her new role on May 4 and must run for election in November to retain the seat.
Before beginning her legal career, Judge Hawkins spent a decade as a social worker, connecting individuals to mental health services, assisting children and adults with developmental disabilities, and developing childcare services for a private nonprofit organization. She maintains her independent social worker license to this day.
Judge Hawkins pursued her law degree in the early 2000s, earning her Juris Doctor from Cleveland State University College of Law in 2003. After clerking for a law firm in Cleveland, she worked in litigation support for a private records acquisition company. In 2010, Judge Hawkins became an assistant prosecuting attorney for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office Children and Family Services Unit. In 2015, she returned to private practice, covering a variety of areas, from criminal defense to domestic relations, to probate and bankruptcy.
Judge Hawkins looks forward to her next chapter in the judiciary.
"ÂI am honored by this opportunity to become a judge," she said. "I am committed to working with the court and litigants to resolve their issues."