Don’t Mess With Akron

The Ohio Supreme Court has imposed a stayed one-year suspension of an attorney who engaged in dishonesty in connection with a City of Akron tax bill

The parties’ stipulations, which are hereby incorporated by reference, show that the city of Akron filed a civil action against Champion for the collection of $544.36 in delinquent municipal income taxes plus interest and costs. In response, Champion repeatedly made false statements claiming that he had paid the taxes and submitted to the city a fraudulent copy of a canceled check that purported to show partial payment of the taxes he owed.

Following an extensive investigation, Akron’s tax department concluded that the check that Champion had submitted to prove payment of his taxes had been altered. After the city confronted him with its evidence, Champion acknowledged that the check he had provided as evidence of his payment had been altered. Champion subsequently remitted a check to the city for the full amount of the taxes owed plus additional costs of collection incurred by the city. The city demanded that Champion self-report his conduct to relator. Champion failed to self-report his misconduct, and the city’s attorney filed a grievance against him. 

On sanction

The board acknowledged that we typically require attorneys who have engaged in illegal and dishonest conduct to serve an actual suspension from the practice of law…Having considered Champion’s misconduct, the applicable aggravating and mitigating factors, and the sanctions imposed for comparable misconduct, we agree that a one-year suspension, fully stayed on the condition that Champion engage in no further misconduct, is the appropriate sanction in this case. 

With a dissent

O’NEILL, J., dissents and would remand the cause to the Board of Professional Conduct to consider increasing the severity of the sanction imposed upon the respondent.

(Mike Frisch)