Supreme Court Disciplines Cuyahoga Falls Attorney
2008-2493. Disciplinary Counsel v. Ridenbaugh, Slip Opinion No. 2009-Ohio-4091.
On Certified Report by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline, No. 08-025. Aaron Anthony Ridenbaugh, Attorney Registration No. 0076823, is indefinitely suspended from the practice of law in Ohio, with credit for time served under the interim suspension imposed on February 7, 2008.
Moyer, C.J., and Pfeifer, O'Connor, Lanzinger, and Cupp, JJ., concur.
Lundberg Stratton, J., concurs with the sanction but would not give credit for time served under the interim suspension.
O'Donnell, J., dissents and would permanently disbar respondent from the practice of law in Ohio.
Opinion: http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/rod/docs/pdf/0/2009/2009-Ohio-4091.pdf 
Please note: Opinion summaries are prepared by the Office of Public Information for the general public and news media. Opinion summaries are not prepared for every opinion released by the Court, but only for those cases considered noteworthy or of great public interest. Opinion summaries are not to be considered as official headnotes or syllabi of Court opinions. The full text of this and other Court opinions from 1992 to the present are available online from the Reporter of Decisions. In the Full Text search box, enter the eight-digit case number at the top of this summary and click "Submit."
(Aug. 20, 2009) The Supreme Court of Ohio today imposed an indefinite license suspension against Cuyahoga Falls attorney Aaron A. Ridenbaugh for engaging in illegal voyeuristic conduct that resulted in his conviction on multiple criminal counts including felony charges of intercepting electronic or oral communications and pandering sexually oriented matter involving a minor. Ridenbaugh’s law license was suspended on an interim basis in February 2008, after the Court received notice of his felony convictions.
The Court adopted findings by the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline that, although Ridenbaugh’s criminal acts were not committed in the performance of his duties as a lawyer, they violated the state attorney discipline rules that prohibit an attorney from engaging in criminal conduct involving moral turpitude and from engaging in conduct that reflects adversely on the attorney’s fitness to practice law.
In imposing an indefinite license suspension, with credit for the months Ridenbaugh has been under interim suspension, the Court noted that this sanction requires a disciplined attorney seeking reinstatement to go through an extensive application process in which he must demonstrate that he has recovered the capacity to engage in the competent and ethical practice of law. The Court also imposed special conditions for reinstatement based on the nature of Ridenbaugh’s offenses, including no additional misconduct and proof of continuing successful psychiatric treatment and compliance with a recovery contract with the Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program.
Contacts
Jonathan E. Coughlan, 614.461.2056, for the Office of Disciplinary Counsel.
Richard C. Alkire, 216.674.0550, for Aaron A. Ridenbaugh.