Retired Judge Jerry R. McBride attended Purdue University from 1969 through 1971.  He continued his education at the University of Cincinnati, graduating magna cum laude in 1973 with a Bachelor’s degree in political science.  Judge McBride obtained a Master’s degree in public administration in 1974 and his Juris Doctorate in 1977, both from the University of Cincinnati.  Upon receiving his law degree in 1977, Judge McBride was admitted to practice law in the State of Ohio and in the Federal District Court.

Judge McBride began his law career as a practicing attorney in 1978.  He served as a Union Township Clerk from 1978 through 1981, and as a Union Township Trustee beginning in January of 1982.  In 1983 he was appointed as a Clermont County Commissioner.  Judge McBride served as a Commissioner until 1991, at which time he was appointed to fill a vacancy on what was then the County Court bench.  In 1992 the County Court was converted to the Clermont County Municipal Court, and Judge McBride remained on the Municipal Court bench until he was elected to the Common Pleas Court in 1994, taking office in January of 1995.

Soon after his arrival at the Common Pleas Court in 1995, Judge McBride began his involvement in the Ohio State High School Mock Trial Competition, which is sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education.  Since then Judge McBride has continued to judge the annual state competitions in Columbus and in 1997 he was designated the Clermont County District Coordinator.  Each year Judge McBride coordinates and oversees the District and Regional Mock Trial competitions which take place at the courthouses throughout Clermont County.  The program engages students from area high schools in developing critical thinking skills by analyzing a hypothetical legal action and developing and presenting arguments for each side of the case.  The curriculum promotes citizenship education and active participation in democracy.

During his tenure as a Judge in Clermont County, Judge McBride has served as a member of the Ohio Jail Advisory Board and the West Clermont School District Advisory Board.  He is currently an active member of several committees of the Ohio Judicial Conference: the Court Administration Committee, the Civil Law Committee, the Joint Committee, the Collaborative Project on Court Reporting, and the Ad Hoc Committee on Community Corrections.  Judge McBride is a board member and coach of the Glen Este Youth Basketball Association, and has coached in both the Girls Southeast Cincinnati Soccer Association and the Southeast Cincinnati Soccer Association.