Judge Campbell Suspended, Then Resigns

Van Wert Municipal Court is looking for a new judge after Phil W. Campbell resigned his position on Thursday after the Ohio Supreme Court Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline handed down his punishment stemming from judicial misconduct charges in 2009.

Campbell had his law license suspended for 12 months, with six months of the sentence stayed provided no other violations occurred during that period, after he was already seated at the bench for the morning session on Thursday. The sanction was essentially the same as was worked out at the Ohio Supreme Court Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline last year.

Rumors soon after the decision that Campbell had submitted his resignation to Governor Ted Strickland were confirmed by the Court late Thursday afternoon. According to Chris Davey of the Ohio Supreme Court Public Information Office, the letter was received late in the day.

"I am choosing to retire from my position as Van Wert County Municipal Court Judge, effective this date," started the letter.

In the slip opinion, the Court listed, "Judicial misconduct - Discipline - Improper investigation of a criminal manner - Failure to act in courteous, dignified manner - Improper use of judicial office to pressure persons into action - Improper handling of indigency determinations..."

The Court determined that Campbell had committed 14 violations of the former Code of Judicial Conduct and the Code of Professional Responsibility, including one violation of Canon 1 (A judge shall uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary), nine violations of Canon 2 (A judge shall respect and comply with the law and shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary), one violation of Canon 3(B)(2) (A judge shall be faithful to the law and maintain professional competence in it), and three violations of Canon3(B)(4) (A judge shall be patient, dignified, and courteous to litigants, jurors, witnesses, lawyers and others with whom the judge deals in an official capacity, and shall require similar conduct of lawyers, and of staff, court officials, and others subject to the judge's direction and control).

Full Article and Source:
Judge Campbell Suspended, Then Resigns