Ajmeri Hoque

Ajmeri Hoque (c.1984) is the elected Franklin County Municipal Court judge in the state of Ohio. On November 4, 2025, she became the first Muslim judge elected in Ohio and the first naturalized citizen to be a judge in Franklin County.[1][2]

Personal life and education

Hoque was born circa 1984 in Bangladesh.[1] As a toddler, she immigrated with her parents to New York.[1] Hoque's family moved to central Ohio in 2003.[3]

In 2006, Hoque graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science from The Ohio State University.[3] In 2010, she graduated from Capital University Law School with a Juris Doctor.[3]

Hoque is married.[3]

Career

In 2014, Hoque became the Assistant Prosecutor for the City of Lancaster City Prosecutor's Office.[4][5]

In 2021, Hoque ran as a candidate for Dublin City Council Ward 1.[3][6] She lost the election to Amy Kramb, who received 55.2% (1330) of the votes compared to Hoque's 44..8% (1079).[7][8] Hoque also served as a committee member to the Police Chief’s Advisory Committee in Dublin since 2020[9] and was the vice chairperson for the committee in 2021 and 2022.[3][10] She also runs her own private legal practice, The Law Offices of Ajmeri Hoque, where she practices criminal defense law.[11]

In 2025, Hoque ran unopposed and became the Franklin County Municipal Court judge.[1] She received endorsements from the Franklin County Democratic Party,[12] Ohio Working Families Party,[13] Columbus Education Association,[14] Indian American Impact,[15] Asian American Midwest Progressives,[16] and Run for Something.[17] After winning the election on November 4, 2025, Hoque became the first Muslim judge elected in Ohio and the first naturalized citizen to be a judge in Franklin County,[1][2] receiving more than 133,000 votes.[18] She will take office in January 2026.[1] She will be succeeding retiring Judge James Green, who served more than 30 years on the bench.[1]

Hoque also represented several student activists who were protesting the Gaza war and were arrested by The Ohio State University police.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Bruner, Bethany. "Franklin County attorney Ajmeri Hoque becomes Ohio's first Muslim judge". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  2. ^ a b "Candidate Ajmeri Hoque becomes Franklin County's first Muslim judge". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Corvo, A. Kevin. "In Dublin City Council race, only Ward 1 contested, both newcomers". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  4. ^ Magazine, New Americans (2025-01-27). "Ajmeri Hoque Runs For Franklin County Municipal Court Judge". New Americans Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  5. ^ "Permanent Resolution 1-14". lancasterohio.gov. 13 January 2014.
  6. ^ Lee, Michael (2021-08-16). "City Council, School Board Candidates Push For Diversity In Central Ohio Suburbs". WOSU Public Media. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  7. ^ "Franklin County, Ohio, 2021 election live results | The Columbus Dispatch". www.dispatch.com. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  8. ^ Lee, Michael. "'I surely won't be the last' Asian American in Ohio Senate, says Tina Maharath after loss". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  9. ^ "Chief's Advisory Committee (Virtual) Tuesday, September 15, 2020" (PDF). dublinohiousa.gov. 15 September 2020.
  10. ^ Corvo, A. Kevin. "First-generation immigrant Zhen Xing joins Dublin Police Department advisory committee". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  11. ^ "Columbus Monthly - January 2022". Issuu. 2023-03-16. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  12. ^ Franklin County Democratic Party - OUR ENDORSED FRANKLIN COUNTY DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES AND ISSUES - 2025 http://www.fcdp.org/uploads/3/0/2/9/30294997/2025g_digital_sample_ballot.pdf
  13. ^ Monaco, Charles (2025-05-07). "Ohio Working Families Party-Endorsed Candidates Sweep May Primary". Working Families Party. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  14. ^ Love, Cindy (2025-10-02). "CEA Announces 2025 General Election Endorsements". Columbus Education Association. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  15. ^ "2025 Endorsed Candidates". Indian American Impact. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  16. ^ "General 2". Asian American Midwest Progressives. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  17. ^ "Ajmeri Hoque". Run For Something. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
  18. ^ a b Shillcock, George (2025-11-06). "Franklin County elects Ohio's first Muslim judge, Ajmeri Hoque, to municipal court". WYSO. Retrieved 2025-11-06.
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