CINCINNATI (WXIX) – The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday indefinitely suspended former Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Tracie Hunter from practicing law because of her 2014 felony conviction, but she may submit a new request for reinstatement.
Tuesday’s announcement follows the recommendation made earlier this year by the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, which found Hunter violated five ethics rules related to the incident leading to his conviction.
No sitting judge convicted of a crime has ever received a sanction less than an indefinite suspension, the court noted.
They gave Hunter credit for the nine years she served under interim suspension.
Justice Michael Donnelly wrote in the court’s majority decision that the rules of professional conduct allow a lawyer to seek reinstatement after two years of indefinite suspension.
Because of Hunter’s time served, she can immediately request reinstatement.
Hunter has been under interim suspension since 2014, when she was convicted of illegal interest in a public procurement.
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She was accused of giving confidential files to her brother, a juvenile court employee who was about to be fired.
Hunter was sentenced to six months in prison less a day.
The case dragged on for years, exhausting the appeals process, and ultimately ended with Hunter being detained in a Hamilton County courtroom in 2019, despite his physical objections.
She served 75 days in the county jail.
When Hunter appeared before the state’s highest court to challenge the suspension earlier this year, she insisted she did not commit the crime.
Two judges recused themselves: Joe Deters, former Hamilton County prosecutor, and Pat DeWine, former Hamilton County commissioner and Cincinnati City Council member.
Read the full decision below
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