Office of Disciplinary Counsel v. Campbell
Opinion of the Court
Text extracted by OCR from a scanned original; check the original for exact wording.
Per Curiam.
The Code of Professional Responsibility and the Code of Judicial Conduct serve many purposes. Foremost among them are to ensure a legal system of the highest caliber and to instill and maintain public confidence in that system. Respondent’s acts not only do not further these goals, they undermine them. Such conduct would be unacceptable by any member of society. We, however, find it particularly intolerable by an attorney and abhorrent for a member of the judiciary.
In all but one instance, respondent was either directly or indirectly in a position of influence over the complainant. Similarly, his actions were almost exclusively directed at those most likely to be intimidated by his position. Four of the victims, for example, were inexperienced attorneys engaged in a new job early in their legal careers.
Respondent’s defense that he intended no harm is contradicted by those instances in which his behavior continued despite objections from the victim that his actions were unwelcome and offensive. Similarly, respondent’s claim that none of the complainants had expressed problems with any of the cases they had before respondent ignores the adverse effect his actions had on the complainants’ perception of their ability to effectively practice before him. Accordingly, we concur in the findings of the board and suspend respondent from the practice of law for one year.
Costs taxed to respondent.
Judgment accordingly.
Moyer, C.J., A.W. Sweeney, Douglas, Wright, Resnick, F.E. Sweeney and Pfeifer, JJ., concur.
How later courts describe this case
Explanatory parentheticals written by citing courts — 1 in all; the most informative distinct ones are shown.
-
(imposing a one-year suspension from the practice of law on a judge who over a period of years made unwelcome or offensive sexual remarks to and/or engaged in offensive physical contact with six women, including four young attorneys over whom he exercised authority as an employer or a judge)
Cited by 8 cases
View all citing references →Relies on it most ⓘ
Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.