Judge appointed to take over Ickes' docket

FREMONT — Court cases overseen by a Sandusky County judge who was recently removed from the bench will proceed as usual until late November. A court employee at the Sandusky County Common Pleas Court confirmed Friday that the Ohio Supreme Court recently appointed retired visiting Judge William Finnegan from Marion County to oversee Judge Jon Ickes' docket until Nov. 20. Visiting judge appointments are limited to three months. The state supreme court suspended Ickes for two years without pay for several judicial conduct violations, including presiding over two cases in which he had a "glaring conflict of interest" and "cultivating an unprofessional workplace environment." As a result, the court ordered his immediate removal from office, according to an announcement from the state supreme court. The other criminal court judge at the Sandusky County Courthouse is Judge Jeremiah Ray. It's unclear what will happen after Nov. 20, as Ickes remains on the ballot for re-election and is being challenged by independent candidate Kimberly Ontko. Background The case against Ickes began in 2024 when the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct reviewed allegations of his misconduct both on and off the bench. These included harassing a pregnant employee, creating an unprofessional workplace, using a racial slur, making inappropriate remarks about a child rape case, and failing to recuse himself from cases involving a family member. Last October, the board found Ickes committed 10 of 17 rule violations and recommended a one-year, stayed suspension of his law license if he commits no further misconduct. A majority of the Ohio Supreme Court, however, determined a two-year suspension without pay was warranted. The following two justices, however, favored the following: • Justice R. Patrick DeWine, argued for a one-year suspension with six months of that stayed on the condition of no further misconduct • Justice Joseph Deters, who argued for a two-year suspension with all of the two years stayed on the condition that he engage in no further misconduct and complete anti-harassment training "An actual suspension is necessary to protect the public and demonstrate that we will not tolerate the childish, inappropriate and vulgar behavior Ickes exhibited in chambers and in the courtroom," the majority wrote, adding that judges should be held to a higher standard.