Ohio Hears Bar, Judicial Misconduct Cases

Dan Trevas has summaries of cases scheduled next week before the Ohio Supreme Court

May 16 cases

Attorney Discipline
A Toledo attorney received referrals from a company that assisted homeowners facing foreclosure. The company owner, a nonlawyer, performed legal research and drafted legal documents. The attorney has been found to have improperly shared legal fees with the company. He also failed to update clients about their cases and missed scheduled court hearings. Four of his clients lost their homes, and others had to find different attorneys. The attorney in Disciplinary Counsel v. Shaaban argues he has made changes in how he practices and asks the Court to fully stay the recommended two-year suspension.

Judicial Discipline
Disciplinary Counsel v. Warner involves a former Marion County judge who is in prison for his conduct after an auto accident. In June 2020, the then-judge and his wife met with friends and were drinking. On the drive home late in the evening, they didn’t yield to an oncoming vehicle, knocking it off the road and into a utility pole. The other driver was seriously injured. The couple left the accident scene in their damaged car without calling emergency responders. They failed to report the accident until about nine hours later. The former judge is facing an indefinite suspension from practicing law. He requests a lesser two-year suspension with credit for his interim suspension, which took effect in March 2021.

May 17 case

Judicial Suspension
A Stow Municipal Court judge objects to a proposed a two-year suspension. He is charged with coercing people to pay court costs and fines.  The Board of Professional Conduct found the judge committed 64 ethics violations while handling 16 cases, and recommends the judge also be immediately removed from office without pay. The judge concedes that he mistakenly didn’t follow the law for collecting past fines or costs owed by two defendants. At most he should receive a one-year suspension with six months stayed, and no removal from office, he suggest. In Disciplinary Counsel v. Hoover, the Court will consider whether the judge had the authority to detain defendants or threaten to detain them for failing to pay fines and costs.

(Mike Frisch)