Court suspends lawyer who practiced in area

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Supreme Court has found a lawyer who practiced in the Youngstown area in contempt of court and suspended him from law practice.

The high court announced the action Monday against Atty. Richard A. Olivito, saying Olivito won’t be allowed to apply for reinstatement to law practice until he complies with a state disciplinary panel’s order that he submit to an examination by a Cleveland psychiatrist.

Olivito must also complete one credit hour of continuing legal education for each month of the suspension, including at least one credit hour of instruction concerning professional conduct.

When he appeared before the state Supreme Court for a contempt hearing Dec. 11, Olivito told the justices that fear for his career kept him from getting the psychiatric evaluation the state disciplinary board ordered for him four times since March.

Olivito, 48, who maintained a Boardman office in recent years, began practicing law in Ohio in 1989. His most recent business address was in Steubenville.