Judge Sanctioned For Seeking Defendant's Vote

The Ohio Commission of Judges has ordered that a judge of the Akron Municipal Court be fined $5,000 for misconduct while a candidate for the County Court of Common Pleas.

During a criminal matter, the judge told a defendant "that he need not worry about jail time if he stayed out of trouble then immediately request[ed] his personal and familial support for her election."

The Commission concluded that the statement "might reasonably be construed as a statement affecting the outcome of an impending matter before the judge."

The judge was disciplined previously for judicial election law violations in the same election cycle.

Here, the judge was publicly reprimanded along with the fine. (Mike Frisch)