Ohio Judge Reprimanded for Hearing Cases He Once Litigated

Probate Judge Robert Nathaniel Rusu Jr. committed misconduct by hearing multiple cases in which he was previously the attorney of record and failing to notify clients after his judicial appointment that he was terminating his representation, the Ohio Supreme Court said April 3.

Rusu heard about 170 cases where he had previously served as the attorney of record, the court said. More than 120 of the cases involved Rusu signing or stamping a deputy clerk’s form letters; other cases involved Rusu waiving reporting requirements, approving settlement distributions, and appointing fiduciaries. Three of the cases involved approving a magistrate’s decision.

Rusu, ...