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(Columbus) - The Supreme Court of Ohio Thursday imposed a one-year license suspension against Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Judge Joseph Russo. However, the full term of suspension is stayed if Judge Russo meets conditions spelled out by the court.

This is for violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct arising from two separate incidents in which Russo was convicted of disorderly conduct as a result of physical altercations with a girlfriend.

In Thursday’s 7-0 decision, the Court adopted findings by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances & Discipline that Russo’s conduct was in violation of ethical canons that require a judge to uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary, to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all of his activities, and to respect and comply with the law and act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the judiciary.

The Court noted that Russo admitted the charged misconduct and stipulated that a dependency on alcohol was a significant factor in the incidents that resulted in his criminal convictions.

According to the Supreme Court’s ruling. Russo and his girlfriend became embroiled in an argument while driving home after dinner and drinks at a restaurant in the early morning hours of September 6, 2006. When the argument escalated into a physical altercation, they stopped at a gas station, where the fight continued. Both were arrested and charged with “disorderly conduct intoxicated,” a minor misdemeanor. Later that month, Russo signed a waiver admitting his guilt and paid a $100 fine.

Then in the early morning hours of July 4, 2007, another physical altercation ensued after an argument between Russo and the girlfriend at the couple’s condominium. A neighbor called police, but by the time police arrived, Russo had left the condominium to check into a nearby hotel.

Police interviewed the girlfriend, who asked for a domestic violence temporary protection order. Police also interviewed Russo, who initially denied the fight. When police told him of the domestic-violence charge, however, he claimed that his girlfriend had attacked him. The next day, the Rocky River Municipal Court granted a domestic-violence temporary protection order against respondent.

In early March 2008, the domestic-violence charge was amended to “disorderly conduct persistent,” a misdemeanor of the fourth degree. Russo pleaded no contest and was convicted. Later that month, Russo received a 30-day suspended jail sentence and was ordered to continue counseling for alcohol abuse and anger management. He was also placed on probation for one year and was fined $250.

The one-year suspension is stayed on the conditions that Russo complete a two-year probation, fully comply with the terms of his current OLAP contract, completely refrain from the use of alcohol, and commit no further violations of either the Code of Judicial Conduct or the Rules of Professional Conduct.

If Russo fails to comply with the conditions of this stay, the stay will be lifted, and he will be suspended from practice for one year.

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