[1] In 1991, Black unsuccessfully ran in a judicial election for the Hamilton County Municipal Court as a Republican.

On December 24, 2009, Obama formally nominated Black to fill the district court vacancy, which was created by Judge Sandra Beckwith taking senior status on January 1, 2009.

[2] On July 22, 2013, Black ruled that Ohio must recognize the same sex marriage of John Arthur and James Obergefell.

Arthur, who died on October 22, 2013[5] of Lou Gehrig's disease, and Obergefell were married in Maryland, where same-sex marriage is recognized, in a ceremony on an airplane on the airport tarmac.

The ruling meant the pair can be buried next to each other in Arthur's family plot, located at a cemetery that only allows descendants and spouses.