Ohio judge suspended from office after 29 ethical violations

CUYAHOGA COUNTY — An Ohio judge has been suspended by the Ohio Supreme Court after committing nearly 30 ethical violations.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge Daniel Gaul was banned from practicing law in Ohio for one year on Friday, WOIO in Cleveland reported.

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Gaul was found to have committed 29 ethical violations, including coercing two criminal defendants to take plea deals he crafted.

The suspension was based on a complaint by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel concerning Gaul’s conduct over a five-year period that began in 2014, according to Court News Ohio.

The decision stated Gaul coerced two no contest pleas, abandoned his role as an impartial arbiter, demeaned litigators and spectators, and abused contempt and the prestige of his office.

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Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy wrote in the Supreme Court majority that “rather than promoting confidence in the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, Gaul’s conduct has called those essential elements of our justice system into question while harming multiple litigants.”

The ruling from the Ohio Supreme Court also resulted in Gaul being suspended from office for the same period without pay.

Gaul has been a common pleas court judge since 1991.

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