LICENSE SUSPENSION Judge orders reversal of psychology board's ruling

The psychologist did work at Trumbull County Family Court.
WARREN -- The Ohio Board of Psychology will take a second look at a decision from April that suspended the license of Dr. Douglas C. Darnall.
Visiting Judge Thomas Patrick Curran of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court ordered Friday that the psychology board's decision be reversed and returned to the board, to be handled in accordance with a settlement agreement Aug. 4.
Terms of the settlement were not included in the judge's order. His attorney, James A. Fredericka of Warren, could not be reached for comment.
Darnall, also a Weathersfield school board member, did work at Trumbull County Family Court.
Suspension ruling
In a ruling issued April 8, his license was suspended for between six months and two years after finding that he violated the general rules of professional conduct.
On April 19, Fredericka and Columbus attorney Benson A. Wolman filed an appeal of the license suspension, stating that the state board denied the doctor due process, failed to conform its procedures and findings to law and didn't base its action on the substantive and reliable evidence -- instead accepting "hearsay evidence."
Darnall argued the state board was penalizing him "for adhering to orders of the judges of the Family Court of Trumbull County."
In February 2000, Darnell held an individual session with a client at his private practice and subsequently conducted a court-ordered evaluation on the client, the psychology board ruling stated.
The ruling further notes that even though Darnall was aware of concerns expressed by the client and her counsel about his role as the court-appointed evaluator, he failed to remove himself from the evaluation.