The Kentucky Supreme Court has briefly suspended the law license of Ben Dusing, a high-profile Northern Kentucky legal professional.
An get issued Thursday by the Supreme Court explained Dusing is “suspended until eventually further more orders of this court docket.”
In November 2021, a movement was filed to suspend Dusing’s license, indicating he manufactured threats versus two other lawyers and employed amphetamines whilst representing a consumer.
Dusing, 46, is required to undertake a psychological analysis inside of 90 times to decide his “psychological health and fitness to keep on in the observe of legislation,” the get states. He will have to also take out his title from his Fort Wright-based mostly regulation company.
Dusing, of Fort Mitchell, is the lawyer for previous Cincinnati metropolis councilman Jeff Pastor, who is experiencing federal corruption rates. Past thirty day period, Dusing held a information meeting and introduced that Pastor will not take a plea deal and desires to stand trial. Dusing is also running for loved ones court docket judge in Kenton County.
At a Thursday afternoon push convention, Dusing claimed he will do whatever he desires to, to have his license reinstated.
“I definitely didn’t intend to break any rules,” Dusing mentioned, “and I regard the procedure, and I’m accountable similar as any one else if I did.”
Dusing could not communicate to how his suspension would affect Pastor’s demo and stated he would refer to the tips of his legal professional on if he’s capable to keep on practising regulation in Ohio. As of 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Dusing was even now licensed in Ohio.
Dusing said he nevertheless programs to run for family members court docket judge. Judges in Kentucky ought to be accredited to observe regulation in the commonwealth.
‘Inappropriate and improper’ habits
On Nov. 2, 2021, Dusing posted a movie on Fb concerning an ongoing custody case in Kenton County Family Court docket. According to the Supreme Court’s purchase, Dusing claimed that Kenton County Loved ones Court docket was corrupt. Also in the video clip, Dusing threatened he “would blow them up,” referring to Stephanie Dietz, the attorney representing the mom of his little one, as very well as a household court team attorney.
Two days later on, Decide Christopher Mehling recused himself from Dusing’s ongoing family court circumstances, declaring there would be an look of bias because Dusing threatened a court workers member.
“It was inappropriate and improper for everyone, enable alone a member of the Kentucky Bar, to publish these a movie about a court docket continuing in which he is involved,” Mehling wrote in his recusal order.
The court’s employees lawyer, who was threatened, turned fearful for her existence after looking at the online video, Mehling wrote in the purchase.
“This courtroom ought to notice that if any litigant can behave in this fashion devoid of any effects, our justice program undoubtedly is in grave peril,” Mehling reported. “This behavior is very little much more than bullying of a court docket by a litigant. This is magnified by the reality that the litigant is a attorney authorized to exercise regulation in this Commonwealth.”
In an affidavit, Dietz termed Dusing’s conduct “psychological, physical and legal abuse.” She also explained her “utter dread” of Dusing.
Previous CEO: Dusing was ‘unprepared’
Also bundled in the petition for suspension was a notarized criticism versus Dusing by Michael Hild, the previous CEO of Stay Properly Economic who Dusing represented in a federal fraud trial in New York.
Hild alleged Dusing was visibly consuming prescription medicine through his trial. He called Dusing “unprepared” and “matted,” expressing he could not “piece alongside one another total sentences when questioning witnesses.”
Hild also explained Dusing despatched a paralegal to a pharmacy to obtain “a substantial prescription bottle,” according to the get.
Dusing admitted to the courtroom, by his personal lawyer, that he posted the Facebook movie and stated “give me a reason to blow your asses up.” Dusing, by means of his lawyer, said that he meant it figuratively – that they must deal with legal and disciplinary action. Dusing deleted the online video from his Fb page soon after finding out Dietz felt threatened.
In the suspension buy, Dusing also states he’s been sober for far more than 19 a long time and that the drug described by Hild was Adderall, a prescription for his interest-deficit hyperactivity condition.
At Thursday’s push convention, Dusing reported he regretted any harm that experienced arrive from his steps.
“I constantly regret if my phrases or actions hurt any one else, …” he said. “If my steps or words hurt anybody or caused any individual any anxiety or adverse thoughts at all, I certainly treatment about that.”
Northern Kentucky reporter Rachel Berry can be reached at [email protected] Comply with her on Twitter @racheldberry.
More Stories
Congressional Republicans goal Hunter Biden’s Hollywood mega-law firm
Miss Manners: Which is the appropriate title for female legal professionals?
Gainesville lawyer accused of sexually assaulting St. Johns County baby is disbarred