COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered the immediate removal of Stow Municipal Court Judge Kim Hoover.
Hoover has also been suspended from practicing law for 18 months, with six months stayed, according to the court's announcement.
Hoover was accused of running a "debtors' prison" to collect court fines and fees.
The judge's removal comes a week after News 5 Investigators reported Hoover's case was the oldest legal or judicial misconduct case on the court's docket.
Hoover would have already been ineligible to run for judge again when his term expires in 2025 because of age limits. Hoover turned 70 this year.
The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct recommended an immediate two-year suspension without pay in February 2023. The board also recommended Hoover be immediately suspended from practicing law for two years.
The board's recommendation followed an investigation after numerous complaints Hoover used unlawful and "coercive tactics" to recover court costs from defendants in his courtroom.
Hoover appealed the recommendation, and oral arguments took place in May 2023.
Hoover has remained on the bench while awaiting the court's decision.
'A terrible injustice'
Case Western Reserve University Law Cassandra Burke Robertson described Judge Hoover's actions, as outlined in the board's report, as "terrible."
Robertson is also the director of CWRU's Center for Professional Ethics.
"The judge, in fact, threatened to jail people for offenses that weren't jailable and for failing to pay costs that could not subject somebody to being jailed," she said.
"That is really a terrible injustice," she said. "That should not have happened."
Robertson said judges are obligated to encourage compliance with the law, including paying fines, fees, and other court costs.
"To the extent that people don't pay fines and costs that they have the ability to pay that puts a burden on the taxpayer that shouldn't be there," she said.
However, Robertson said judges should not use coercive tactics or threats to force people to pay court costs or fines they can't afford.
Stow Municipal Court Administrator Rick Klinger said Hoover's removal will not affect day-to-day court operations. He said the court has part-time magistrates who can take on Hoover's cases. He also said the Ohio Supreme Court will eventually appoint a visiting judge to to the vacancy.
