The Geauga County [Ohio] Maple Leaf reports on recent on bar charges against a judge and former state senator
The Disciplinary Counsel has filed a 61-page Complaint and Certificate before The Board of Professional Conduct of The Supreme Court of Ohio against Geauga County Probate/Juvenile Court Judge Timothy J. Grendell.
Included in the complaint are alleged violations of the Rules of Judicial Conduct involving the detention of two juveniles in a child custody case; his refusal to allow COVID-19 testing of children without prior court approval; a 2018 dispute at the Geauga County Auditor’s Office and a confrontation with former Chardon Police Lt. Troy Duncan and Chardon Police Chief Scott Niehus; and a speech he made at a July 2019 Geauga County Tea Party meeting at which Grendell made disparaging comments about Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz, Auditor Chuck Walder and the media, including the Geauga County Maple Leaf.
Grendell also is accused of abusing the prestige of judicial office in testimony before a government body.
Rules Grendell is accused of violating include:
- A judge shall at all times act in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary, and shall avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.
- A judge shall not abuse the prestige of judicial office to advance the personal or economic interests of the judge or others.
- A judge shall not make any public statement that might reasonably be expected to affect the outcome or impair the fairness of a matter pending or impending in any court.
- A judge shall not appear voluntarily at a public hearing before, or otherwise consult with, an executive or a legislative body or official.