On Friday, September 27, 2024, The Marshall Project reported that Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Judge Leslie Ann Celebrezze is facing multiple misconduct charges related to her handling of divorce cases. The Ohio Disciplinary Counsel has filed formal allegations against her, claiming she improperly directed lucrative divorce cases to a personal friend, Mark Dottore, who was appointed as a court receiver.
The charges, which include making false statements and violating judicial conduct rules, were submitted to the Ohio Supreme Court. These developments come after an investigation highlighted Celebrezze’s relationship with Dottore, whose firm received substantial fees—nearly $500,000—while managing assets in divorce cases. The Marshall Project previously reported on Celebrezze’s exclusive practice of appointing receivers, a role typically played by neutral parties who oversee a divorcing couple’s assets during proceedings.
Court records indicate that between 2017 and July 2023, Celebrezze appointed Dottore or his daughter as receivers in six of eight cases. Dottore’s company charges clients between $100 and $400 per hour for its services, with the fees billed to the divorcing parties.
The misconduct allegations emerged after a Strongsville businessman, whose divorce case was assigned to Celebrezze, raised concerns regarding her relationship with Dottore. Surveillance footage obtained by the businessman’s private investigator captures Celebrezze visiting Dottore’s home and office on multiple occasions, including footage showing the two kissing after leaving a restaurant. While Celebrezze acknowledged her long-standing friendship with Dottore, both have denied any romantic involvement.
In early 2023, the businessman’s attorney submitted an affidavit seeking to disqualify Celebrezze from the case due to perceived conflicts of interest. Following this, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy found that Celebrezze had breached court rules by bypassing standard procedures to assign the case to her own docket and appoint Dottore as the receiver. The Chief Justice’s ruling emphasized that disqualifying Celebrezze was necessary to maintain the appearance of impartiality.
The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct reviewed the allegations and concluded that there was probable cause to file a formal complaint against Celebrezze. She has been given until October 16 to submit a written response to the charges. After her response, a three-member panel will evaluate the case and recommend whether a violation occurred, along with potential sanctions.
Source: The Marshall Project
