Daniel E. Haughey was elected Judge of the Court of Common Pleas in November of 2020. Judge Haughey previously served as the Butler County Area III Court Judge in West Chester from 2008-2020, having been elected to that office in 2008, 2010, and 2016. During his service on the Area Court bench, Judge Haughey established a Treatment Alternative Court (TAC) specialty docket for criminal defendants facing mental health issues and a Drug Court specialty docket for defendants with drug addiction as the underlying cause of their criminal activity. Both dockets were certified by the Ohio Supreme Court Commission on Specialized Dockets.

Judge Haughey began his legal career as an Assistant Butler County Prosecutor in 2000. Following his time with the County Prosecutor's Office, Judge Haughey served as the City Prosecutor for Hamilton, Ohio. Judge Haughey began his private practice in Oxford, Ohio, in 2003. During his time in private practice Judge Haughey focused on trial work, handling both criminal and civil matters including fifteen years as labor counsel for FOP Lodge 38 (Oxford and Miami University Police Departments). Judge Haughey also served as Magistrate in Hamilton Municipal Court for Judge John Rosmarin from 2007-2008. Judge Haughey merged his law practice (Haughey & Niehaus) with Rittgers & Rittgers in 2017 and practiced law until being sworn-in as Common Pleas Judge in January, 2021.

Judge Haughey is passionate about law-related education, and served as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Business Legal Studies at Miami University's Farmer School of Business from 2001 to 2014. During his tenure at Miami, he also coached Miami University's Mock Trial Program. From 2015 to 2019, Judge Haughey coached the University of Dayton Mock Trial Program. While at both Universities, Judge Haughey hosted American Mock Trial Association Tournaments in our Butler County Court of Common Pleas and at Hamilton Municipal Courts. He now coaches mock trial at St. Xavier High School. He has served as a Board Member of the non-profit American Mock Trial Association from 2003 to present.

Judge Haughey was born and raised in Butler County, and attended Queen of Peace School in Millville. He graduated from St. Xavier High School in 1993. He received his Bachelor of Arts (English Literature and Political Science) from Miami University in 1997. Judge Haughey received his Juris Doctor from University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2000, where he was presented with the Judge John W. Peck Trial Practice Award.

In case all of the above has given anyone the wrong impression that Judge Haughey has an over-inflated view of himself, rest assured that he subscribes to the opinion offered by Judge Edward J. Devitt in his Ten Commandments for the Judge: "It is distinctly unbecoming to later claim that you were chosen solely because of your outstanding ability as a lawyer and leader of the Bar, and that you were reluctantly persuaded to give up your lucrative practice and were practically dragged up to the Bench. That would be taking yourself too seriously."