Court Administrators
Court Administrator
Julie Kahrs Nessler, Esq.
Julie Kahrs Nessler has served as the Court Administrator for the First District Court of Appeals in Hamilton County, Ohio, since February 2021. She brings more than 10 years of appellate legal experience and several years of administrative leadership to the role. In her current position, Ms. Nessler is responsible for overseeing the operations of the six-judge appellate court.
Ms. Nessler began her appellate career in 2011 as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Twelfth District Court of Appeals, a position she held until 2015. She then joined the Hamilton County Public Defender’s Office, serving as the appellate attorney for the Juvenile Division. In that role, she represented youth charged with criminal offenses in both Hamilton County Juvenile Court and on appeal before the First District Court of Appeals. During her tenure, Ms. Nessler also argued several cases before the Ohio Supreme Court.
A recognized leader in juvenile justice, Ms. Nessler conducted trainings throughout the state on appellate and juvenile law. She also contributed to policy reform efforts through her participation in legislative and working groups focused on systemic change for Ohio’s youth. In 2018, she was honored with the Noel E. Kaech Juvenile Defender Award by the Ohio Public Defender’s Office for her impact and contribution to juvenile defense in Ohio. Prior to focusing on appellate work, Ms. Nessler worked as an associate attorney in a small civil litigation firm in Columbus, Ohio.
Ms. Nessler earned her Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School in 2009, where she served as an Associate Editor of The Capital University Law Review. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Western Kentucky University (WKU). During her time at WKU, she completed an internship at the National Legal Aid and Defender Association in Washington, D.C.
In September 2024, Ms. Nessler received her Court Manager’s certification through the Court Management Program of the Institute for Court Management, part of the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). In 2025, she was accepted into the Certified Court Executive program (CCE), Class of 2027. The CCE credential is the second-level certificate in NCSC’s court-management program. Ms. Nessler is also an active participant in several working groups, including one related to the Ohio courts of appeals’ case management system and the Appellate Workgroup for the Advisory Committee on Case Management. She also continues to deliver trainings on a wide range of appellate practice topics for diverse audiences.
Ms. Nessler has been active in numerous professional and civic organizations during her career. Currently, she is a volunteer for Hamilton County Youth Court. She serves as a repeat volunteer for local law school’s moot court competitions. Ms. Nessler is also a member of Cincinnati Bar Association (CBA) and the Ohio Association of Court Administrators. Finally, Ms. Nessler volunteers at her children’s school, coaches her son’s soccer team, and coaches her daughter’s volleyball team.
Assistant Court Administrator
Angela Hayden, Esq.
(513) 946-3456
Angela Hayden became the Assistant Court Administrator in March 2021. She brings more than 20 years of legal practice experience and several years of administrative experience to the position. She assists Ms. Nessler in the overall operation of the Court.
Ms. Hayden’s legal experience includes criminal defense work and civil litigation. In the early part of her career, she worked as a Judicial Law Clerk in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations and Juvenile Division. From there, she went into private practice at a large national law firm, eventually moving to a regional law firm. Immediately prior to coming to the Court, Ms. Hayden worked as the Administrative Director for a local nonprofit healthcare organization.
Ms. Hayden’s career highlights include several high-profile victories as a criminal defense attorney, along with numerous successes in the civil arena.
Ms. Hayden is a proud Cincinnati native and grew up on the West Side of the city. She obtained her B.A. in Communications from the College of Mount St. Joseph (now Mount St. Joseph University) and her J.D. from the University of Akron School of Law.