In a 6-1 majority opinion issued last week, the Ohio Supreme Court rejected a 32-year veteran Cuyahoga County judge’s attempt to stay his recommended one-year suspension without pay for allegedly committing 29 ethical violations, including coercing criminal defendants to take plea deals he crafted.
Judge Daniel Gaul was immediately suspended from the bench without pay for one year. He was found to have committed 29 rule violations under eight counts that fell into categories like coercing pleas, aggressive questioning of a criminal defendant, making demeaning comments to a criminal defendant and other persons in the courtroom, abusing the prestige of judicial office to advance the personal interest of others, refusing to grant release from confinement and disregarding appellate court orders, and abusing contempt power.
