The Supreme Court of Ohio publicly reprimanded a judge for professional misconduct related to inflammatory and inaccurate social media posts about a pending guardianship case. The judge, from the Hamilton Country Court of Common Pleas, Probate Division, was involved in a case concerning an 83-year-old widow with three adult children. The case saw multiple changes in guardianship, and complaints were raised by two of the widow’s children about the process.
In January 2019, after a reporter’s inquiry an assistant court administrator, under the judge’s direction, provided misleading information about the widow’s living conditions. The judge later made a public response on social media, further criticising the widow’s son and making unsupported claims about elder abuse. The actual case record showed that the widow’s relocation was due to her guardian’s belief in the benefits of better supervision and facilities.
During disciplinary proceedings, the judge admitted that his and the administrator’s statements were misleading and not supported by the case facts. The Ohio Supreme Court agreed with the Board of Professional Conduct’s recommendation for public reprimand, finding that the judge violated multiple provisions of the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct. The violations included making public statements that could affect case fairness and failing to uphold judicial integrity. The board acknowledged the judge’s previously clean record, good character, cooperation during the process, and prompt removal of the posts as mitigating factors.
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