On Friday, July 12, 2024, Cleveland.com reported that state disciplinary attorneys have recommended a two-year suspension of Judge Timothy Grendell’s law license.
Judge Grendell serves on the Geauga County Juvenile and Probate Court. He has faced accusations of judicial misconduct stemming from an incident in May 2020. According to court documents, Judge Grendell decided to detain two teenage brothers aged 13 and 15 who did not want to visit their estranged father, whom they had accused of abuse. The boys were arrested on a Friday evening and detained over the weekend until the following Monday.
State disciplinary counsel Joseph Caligiuri argued before the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct that detaining the teenage boys for three nights over a custody visitation dispute, especially during the global pandemic, could not possibly be considered in the children’s best interests. Judge Grendell’s attorneys maintain that he acted in good faith to serve the children’s welfare, having determined they had been influenced by years of parental alienation.
If the two-year suspension is accepted by the Ohio Supreme Court, it would revoke Judge Grendell’s ability to practice law for that time period. The disciplinary counsel called Judge Grendell a “bully who abused his power.” However, Grendell’s attorneys have argued errors should be addressed through appellate courts rather than disciplinary action.
Judge Grendell has an extensive legal background, having worked as both a state House and Senate representative before his 2011 appointment to the juvenile court by then-Governor John Kasich. At his current age, he is ineligible for reelection to his judicial position.
The Board of Professional Conduct will make a recommendation to the Ohio Supreme Court, which will issue the final ruling on any potential disciplinary actions against Judge Grendell’s law license.
Source: Cleveland.com
