Ohio Best Court docket suspends Coshocton legal professional for having intercourse with shopper
COSHOCTON — A Coshocton-based legal professional has been suspended for 2 years, with 365 days stayed, via the Ohio Best Court docket for having intercourse with a shopper after which mendacity about it to government.
In a according to curiam opinion, the courtroom mentioned Kevin C. Cox violated a number of laws governing the pro behavior of attorneys when he had intercourse with a girl he used to be representing right through her divorce.
The courtroom rejected Cox’s argument that he merits just a public reprimand coupled with further proceeding prison schooling necessities for sending beside the point textual content messages to his shopper.
Coshocton-based legal professional: Legal professional dealing with sanction via Ohio Best Court docket
Grievance filed: Lawyer accused of getting an affair with shopper
Cox didn’t supply remark to the Tribune via 1:30 p.m. Wednesday as asked in an electronic mail and call message to his place of business.
All the way through the disciplinary lawsuits, Cox denied having a bodily sexual dating with the lady. The courtroom discovered “the proof obviously and convincingly demonstrates” the legal professional had a sexual dating together with his shopper, despatched her sexually charged textual content messages and emails and lied about each sides of the connection.
A criticism used to be filed Dec. 3, 2020, towards Cox with the Board of Skilled Behavior of the Ohio Best Court docket. A video teleconference used to be held at the subject April 22 and 23, 2021. The board launched its findings and sanction tips about Aug. 6, 2021. Punishment via the Ohio Best Court docket has been pending since that point.
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The board of behavior panel in its findings mentioned that Cox’s loss of candor right through the disciplinary procedure used to be “specifically hectic.”
“Had he been forthright and contrite our conclusion and advice would have mirrored his effort to truthfully cope with the subject,” the panel wrote. “As a substitute, we consider his reaction to the inquiry quantities to an effort at coverup and divulges an individual now not dedicated to correcting his conduct.”
The panel stated the lady’s testimony, known as V.W. in paperwork, used to be conveyed with a way of forthrightness and candor and she or he got here off extra credible than Cox. This integrated her declaring no emotions of bitterness or anger towards Cox and that she used to be involved for what affect lawsuits would have on his profession.
Cox started training legislation in 2001 and used to be assigned the divorce case in query whilst running for the McCleery Legislation Company in November 2017. He opened the Legislation Places of work of Kevin C. Cox in 2020.
Whilst Cox first of all denied any sexual dating and unnoticed any connection with textual content and electronic mail messages associated with a letter of inquiry, he admitted to sending “wildly beside the point” sexual messages durinng the listening to. The panel stated Cox’s reaction to the letter of inquiry and deposition used to be false or incomplete on a number of issues.
“His testimony to the panel used to be now not fair on a number of issues of verifiable reality,” the panel wrote. “At no time did he recognize the level of his dating together with his shopper, nor recognize any beside the point conduct that might now not be independently verified.”
The criticism states the 2 engaged in sexual sex on a lot of events over a number of months. Court docket paperwork come with textual content conversations and emails with no less than one change that includes specific sexual communicate.
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