CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Ohio Supreme Court on Friday suspended Geauga County Judge Timothy Grendell for 18 months and ordered him off the bench without pay.

The justices, however, said a year of the suspension would be dropped if he remains in good standing. That means Grendell could return to the bench in May. He could then serve out the last months of his term, which ends in February 2027.

The court found Grendell violated judicial conduct rules when he jailed two teenagers for refusing to visit their father during a custody dispute in 2020.

Justices said Grendell “willfully turned a blind eye to legal safeguards” when he directed his constable to detain the boys on “trumped-up charges” for three days in juvenile detention.

Grendell had the boys, then 13 and 15 years old, arrested

See Full Page