OFFICE ADDRESS (Columbus)
Joseph P. Kinneary U.S. Courthouse, Room 322
85 Marconi Boulevard
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 719-3280
FAX: (614) 719-3294

OFFICE ADDRESS (Cincinnati)
Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse, Room 815
100 East Fifth Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 564-7692
FAX: (513) 564-7697

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
Judge Watson was born in Akron, Ohio. He was raised and has lived in the Columbus area throughout his life. Judge Watson was appointed by President George W. Bush and sworn in as Judge of The United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio on October 1, 2004.

Prior to his appointment, Judge Watson served on the Tenth District Court of Appeals in Franklin County, from May 1, 2003 until September 30, 2004. From January 1, 1996 until April 30,2003, Judge Watson served on the Franklin County Common Pleas Court. During his last three years on the trial court, Judge Watson served as Administrative Judge.

Before his appointment to the Common Pleas Court, Judge Watson served as Chief Counsel to Governor Voinovich throughout 1994 and 1995. From early 1991 through1993 he also served as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Governor and Chief Counsel for the Ohio Department of Commerce.

Judge Watson practiced law from 1988 to 1991 with the law firms of Lane, Alton and Horst and Delligatti, Hollenbaugh, Briscoe and Miless, focusing primarily on personal injury litigation, employment disputes, workers' compensation, and criminal defense.

After service in the United States Air Force and the Ohio National Guard, Judge Watson received his Bachelor of Arts degree from The Ohio State University in 1983 and his Juris Doctor degree from Capital University Law School in 1987. While in law school, Judge Watson served as bailiff and law clerk to Judge Tommy L. Thompson, the trial court judge whom he was appointed to succeed.

Judge Watson has served, until recently, as a member of the Ohio Judicial Conference, Administration and Court Reform committee. He completed a term and began another as a member of the Alvis House, Inc. board of trustees, resigning upon his appointment to the district court. He currently serves as an officer or member of several athletic booster organizations in Worthington, Ohio and is a member of the Ohio State and Columbus Bar Associations.