Tim Grendell, a prominent Republican figure in Ohio, currently serving as a judge, is grappling with serious allegations of judicial misconduct. These allegations include inappropriate incarceration of two boys who resisted visiting their estranged father, obstruction of a mother’s attempt to administer COVID-19 tests on her children, and several other breaches of judicial ethics. Grendell, aged 70, is scheduled to defend himself in a multi-day hearing set for late October, presided over by a three-person panel from the Board of Professional Conduct.
Grendell’s political history in Ohio is long and varied. He first stepped into the political arena by replacing his wife, Diane, in the Ohio House in 2000, when she reached her term limit. He continued his political journey as a member of the General Assembly until 2011 when Governor John Kasich appointed him to the Geauga County Common Pleas Court bench, specifically in the probate and juvenile division.
Diane Grendell, his wife, also had a significant political career. She served as an appeals court judge and later returned to the Ohio House from 2019 to 2022.
In November 2022, Joseph Caliguiri, the disciplinary counsel for the Ohio Supreme Court, filed a substantial 61-page complaint against Judge Tim Grendell. This complaint includes several grave allegations:
In May 2020, Grendell purportedly attempted to coerce two brothers, aged 15 and 13, into spending time with their estranged father. When they refused, he ordered their incarceration in juvenile detention under stringent conditions, including the separation of the siblings and restricting contact with their mother while permitting communication only with their father. This detention lasted for three days. Additionally, a separate custody case from 2017 saw Grendell dispatch an armed constable, John Ralph, to forcibly remove two children from their mother. In 2020, he blocked the parents from conducting or allowing any COVID-19 tests on their children.
Starting in 2018, Grendell engaged in a contentious conflict with Geauga County Auditor Chuck Walder concerning the payment of court expenses, allegations of trespassing in the auditor’s office, and other related matters.
In June 2019, Judge Grendell was reported to have yelled at and threatened Chardon Police Lt. Troy Duncan, who was investigating the auditor’s issues, and even went as far as threatening Chardon Police Chief Scott Niehus. Grendell later delivered a presentation about these events to the Geauga Tea Party, casting aspersions on Chuck Walder and others involved.
Grendell stands accused of inappropriately using his judicial position to testify in favor of his wife’s legislation. This legislation sought to undermine the credibility of the Ohio Department of Health’s statistical reports on COVID-19 during the pandemic.
Grendell’s attorney has not responded to messages seeking comment on these serious misconduct allegations and the impending hearing.
The disciplinary counsel, operating as a branch of the Ohio Supreme Court, conducts investigations into allegations of ethical misconduct involving lawyers and judges.
Following the hearing by the three-member panel, sanctions may be recommended. The Ohio Supreme Court holds the authority to impose sanctions, which can range from a public reprimand to permanent disbarment.
The four-day hearing is expected to be a complex legal battle. Grendell intends to call numerous witnesses, including state lawmakers and his wife, as he endeavors to defend himself against the allegations that could significantly impact his judicial career.