The Supreme Court of Ohio - Supreme Court - State of Ohio

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The office conducted its annual fall bar counsel seminar in October 2008, welcoming 34 attendees, primarily representing the certified grievance committees of local bar associations across Ohio. In 2008, Jonathan E. Coughlan continued to serve as vicepresident to the board of directors of the Association of Judicial Disciplinary Counsel. He also served on the Supreme Court Task Force on the Code of Judicial Conduct. Further, Amy C. Stone served as chair of the Unauthorized Practice of Law Central Registry Work Group, sponsored by the Supreme Court Board on the Unauthorized Practice of Law. Robert R. Berger served as a member of the Ohio State Bar Association Special Committee to Review Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 1.15(d)(e). Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline The Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline is established by Gov. Bar R. V and is charged with administering, interpreting and enforcing the rule allowing lawyer and judge discipline for ethical misconduct. The board also serves, according to state law, as the ethics commission for the filing of more than 1,800 financial disclosure statements required of Ohio judges, judicial candidates and magistrates. The board, pursuant to Gov. Bar R.V(2)(C) is given authority to issue informal, nonbinding ethical advisory opinions. In 2008, the board added four new members appointed by the Supreme Court of Ohio. The board met on eight days on a bimonthly basis and received 97 formal complaints, including petitions for reinstatement, filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel and the certified grievance committees of local bar associations. The board held 83 hearings, certified 91 matters to the Supreme Court and disposed of 108 cases. In addition, the board received seven judicial campaign grievances and heard one election-related judicial campaign complaint filed under Gov. Jud. R. II(5). Seven Ohio lawyers resigned from the practice of law with discipline pending as a result of disciplinary investigations and the filing of formal complaints. There were 104 matters pending on the board’s docket at the end of the year. The 91 disciplinary cases certified to the Supreme Court was the highest number in the board’s history. 92 2008 Annual Report • The Supreme Court of Ohio
During 2008, seven present or former board members and the secretary continued the work of the statewide task force appointed by Chief Justice Moyer to study the new ABA Code of Judicial Conduct. The task force met four times during 2008 under the direction of its chair, board member Judge Thomas F. Bryant. The task force recommended a revised Code of Judicial Conduct to the Supreme Court at the end of November 2008, and in December, the Supreme Court adopted a new code, effective March 1, 2009. The board also assisted the Court in reviewing and commenting on possible amendments to Gov. Bar R. V. The board participated in a statewide task force convened by the Chief Justice and the Ohio secretary of state to develop a statewide voter information guide for Ohio’s judicial candidates for the general election in November 2008. The judicial candidates’ guide was made available online for voters. The board’s staff again assisted the certified grievance committees in documenting requests for reimbursement of all disciplinary-related expenses, both on a quarterly and annual basis. Further, the board, in conjunction with the University of Akron School of Law and the Ohio State Bar Association, sponsored two statewide disciplinary seminars for certified grievance committees and interested lawyers. The board’s legal staff also taught five courses on campaign law and ethics required of Ohio judicial candidates under Canon 7 and three courses for attorneys in public practice. The board in 2008 participated in 32 continuing legal education programs for board members, Ohio justices and judges, their spouses, foreign judges, lawyers, judicial candidates, public employees, court personnel and law students. Additionally, the board received 39 requests for advisory opinions and issued seven opinions on ethical questions arising under the Rules of Professional Conduct, Code of Judicial Conduct, Rules for the Government of the Bar, Rules for the Government of the Judiciary and Ohio ethics law. The board continued to render advisory opinions on the application of the recent Ohio Rules of Professional Conduct. Two board opinions addressed conflict-of-interest issues presented by Prof. Cond. Rule 1.7. Further, Adv. Op. 2008-7 provides guidance to lawyers and law firms on the employment of disqualified or suspended lawyers in a law firm setting. The board has issued 332 advisory opinions since it was given such authority in 1987. All advisory opinions are available on the Supreme Court Web site. The ABA/BNA Lawyer’s Manual on Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline Jonathan W. Marshall, secretary Alvin R. Bell Hon. Harvey J. Bressler Hon. Thomas F. Bryant Martha L. Butler Shirley J. Christian Charles E. Coulson McKenzie K. Davis Paul M. DeMarco Lawrence R. Elleman Jana E. Emerick Hon. Otho S. Eyster Lisa M. Lancione Fabro Roger S. Gates Robert V. Housel Jr. Lynn B. Jacobs Jean M. McQuillan Nancy D. Moore William J. Novak Walter Reynolds Stephen C. Rodeheffer John H. Siegenthaler Hon. Arlene Singer, chair Patrick L. Sink Hon. John B. Street David E. Tschantz Hon. Joseph J. Vukovich Hon. Beth Whitmore Joseph L. Wittenberg Master Commissioners Bernard K. Bauer Hon. W. Scott Gwin Jeffrey T. Heintz Hon. John R. Milligan Hon. John Petzold Robin G. Weaver Hon. Harry White 2008 Annual Report • The Supreme Court of Ohio 93 Clerk's division Office of the Clerk Case Mediation Section
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The Supreme Court of Ohio 2008 Paul
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