Tuesday, January 22, 2008
The judge had to decide to pay his defense attorney or his mortgage.
CINCINNATI (AP) — A southwest Ohio judge who was once removed from the bench for 16 months while fending off a criminal indictment said he defaulted on a farmland mortgage because he used all his available money to pay his defense attorney.
Highland County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey Hoskins has been ordered to pay $354,465 to the Hillsboro bank that refinanced his purchase of the 60 acres of land.
“It was a choice, do I pay for my defense or do I make this mortgage payment? I chose to pay toward the defense,” Hoskins said. “I don’t regret that I made that choice.”
The judgment ordering him to make good with the bank was entered last week in Highland County Common Pleas Court by visiting Judge James Luse.
“We’re making every effort to pay that amount in full,” Hoskins said. “If we can’t, the normal procedure would be for the foreclosure process to continue.”
Hoskins, who was elected to a six-year term as Highland County Common Pleas judge in 2002, was removed from the bench in March 2006 when a grand jury returned a 16-count indictment that included charges of tampering with records, theft, falsification and having unlawful interest in a public contract.
Some of the charges stemmed from Hoskins’ practice as a lawyer before he became a judge. Others accused him of masking his involvement in a real estate purchase while on the bench.
Prosecutors contended that Hoskins bought a former Hillsboro bank building with the intention of leasing it to the Adult Parole Authority. That created a conflict of interest because Hoskins, as a sitting judge, had regular contact with the state agency, prosecutors said.
Hoskins contends that a corporation controlled by his wife bought the building.
Hoskins’ trial was moved to Madison County in central Ohio to avoid a conflict of interest for Highland County employees. In December 2006, he was acquitted of eight of the 15 charges, including tampering with evidence, perjury, tampering with records, theft in office and unlawful interest in a public contract.
The jury deadlocked on the remaining counts.
In a second trial in August, Hoskins was acquitted on counts of theft, failure to report a crime and two counts of attempted money laundering. Three counts of falsification were dismissed.
He was reinstated to the bench that month, but was unable to repay his loan.
“It’s been extremely difficult for me — financially, psychologically, emotionally ... my reputation,” Hoskins said. “There’s still a fallout from these charges. This is just another example.”
Hoskins is running for another term as judge but faces opposition in the Republican primary in March. He also is waiting for the results of a hearing before the Ohio Supreme Court’s Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline.
A three-member panel ended five days of hearings in November to consider a nine-count complaint alleging judicial misconduct. The full disciplinary committee has not received the panel’s report, court spokesman Chris Davey said Friday.