Judge Charged With Improper Communications With A Court Employee

Ohio Disciplinary Counsel has filed a complaint alleging misconduct by a Hamilton County Municipal Judge.

The complaint alleges that the judge sent a Facebook friend request to a court reporter (not in his court) which she (“Jane Doe”) accepted.

He posted photos of a court celebration, some of which she “liked.”

He learned she was a court reporter and invited her to his chambers; after a lengthy Facebook conversation, she allegedly felt she had to give him her telephone number.

He texted and called her.

In one Saturday evening conversation he allegedly “sounded intoxicated, used profanity and talked about his divorce. He also asked Jane Doe to lunch, but she declined his invitation.”

After he had asked her out, the conversations became “increasingly one-sided.”

He sent her political messages (decidedly anti-Trump) and “messages linked to videos containing offensive and sexually-explicit content…”

She did not respond but advised her boss and a co-worker. The matter was then referred to Disciplinary Counsel by the court administration.

In his answer, the judge admits most but denies some of the allegations and admits that his conduct violated Rule 1.2 of the Code of Judicial Conduct

Respondent admits that on November 12, 2019, he sent a link to an edited version of a prayer session with President Donald Trump, wherein Trump begins to smoke and then catch on fire during the prayer.

The pleadings are linked here. (Mike Frisch)