Longtime Venture readers may remember the “picky outrage” of Gioga County, Ohio, Judge Timothy Grendel. His behavior on the bench has long been controversial, but he still ran for re-election in 2020 unopposed.
When I last blogged about Judge Grendel, there were reports that he was threatening to hold a mother in contempt of court for having her child tested for COVID-19 even though the test was administered by a doctor. Ordered before admission. In another case, Judge Grendel sent two teenage boys to a juvenile detention facility for the weekend after they refused court-ordered visits from their estranged father.
Judge Grendel’s actions came to the attention of the state of Ohio, and he is now undergoing disciplinary action. Attorneys with the Ohio Supreme Court’s Office of Disciplinary Counsel are seeking to suspend Judge Grendel’s law license. According to the lawyers, Judge Grendel is a “classic bully” who has repeatedly “abused his power and abdicated his role as a neutral advocate.” Judging from their recent fills:
Our courts have disciplined rogue judges in the past. But this state has never seen a judge inflict pain and suffering on two innocent, young and vulnerable people children, while claiming that they are acting in their best interests. Defendant acted in his and Glasier’s interests and not in the interests of anyone else. Although the defendant attempted to complicate this disciplinary issue by suggesting that only he could understand the intricacies and applicability of juvenile rules, this was a simple case. Defendant was a bully who abused his power, abandoned his role as a neutral advocate, and worked to advance Glasier’s and his own interests to the detriment of Hartman and his family.
The case in question involved Judge Grendel detaining two boys for refusing to visit their estranged father. The complaint also raised concerns about Judge Grendel’s handling of other matters and political behavior unbecoming of a sitting judge. All documents are available here.
The initial complaint was filed in November 2022, and a hearing was held earlier this year before the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct. If the commission recommends sanctions, it will be reviewed by the Ohio Supreme Court.
