Cuyahoga county domestic relations judge leslie ann celebrezze faces multiple misconduct charges accusing her of steering lucrative divorce cases to a longtime private attorney, according to ohio disciplinary attorneys friend.
The three misconduct charges filed with the Ohio Supreme Court this week come a year after “The Marshall Plan-Cleveland” detailed how Celebrez took on several divorce cases and appointed Mark Dottore and his The company is the receiver.
In the complaint, Celebrezze is Charged by Ohio Disciplinary Attorney Making false statements during an investigation, violating multiple judicial and professional rules of conduct related to public confidence and avoiding misconduct.
Celebrezze and Dottore did not respond to multiple requests for comment Friday.
Disciplinary attorneys said in the complaint that Celebrez “disclosed to at least two fellow judges that she was in love with Dotor and that she had consulted with attorneys about divorcing her husband.”
The misconduct complaint stems from Celebrez's appointment of Dotor and his firm as receivers in complex and often lucrative divorce cases. The receiver acts as a neutral party and takes possession and control of the divorcing couple's assets while the case is pending.
The Marshall Project-Cleveland reported in July 2023 that Celebrez was the only one of the court's five judges to appoint a receiver. Other judges said there was no need for them to appoint outsiders and handle the cases themselves.
Court records show Celebrezze approved nearly $500,000 in fees from Dottore Companies LLC between 2017 and July 2023.
Dotor's company charges $100 to $400 an hour, depending on the assignment, and the fees are paid by divorcing couples.
The indictment details multiple cases in which Celebrez used his position as the court's administrative judge to take over high-wealth divorce cases from other judges and appoint Dottore as conservator.
A case sparked the investigation into Celebrez.
Celebrez, a Strongsville businessman whose divorce case was assigned, said he became suspicious of the relationship between Dotor and the judge.
The Marshall Project – Cleveland obtained surveillance video taken by the businessman's private investigators showing Celebrez leaving Dotto's home and office multiple times.
A video shows the judge and Dotto kissing after leaving the steakhouse. Celebrez admitted to having a long-term friendship with Dotto, but both men denied being in a relationship.
“I am Italian,” Celebrez said in an emailed statement to the Cleveland Marshall Project. “I often kiss my family and friends on the lips when I say hello or goodbye.”
Lawyers for the businessman filed a disqualification affidavit in early 2023 seeking to remove Celebrezze from the case. In August 2023, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy found that Celebrez violated court rules by circumventing court policy by assigning the case to his own and appointing Dottore as receiver.
The ruling said Kennedy disqualified Celebrez to avoid misconduct.
A panel of the Ohio Supreme Court Committee on Professional Conduct Allegations reviewed and determines that there is probable cause to file a formal complaint. Celebrezze has until Oct. 16 to submit a written response, records show.
Once a response is submitted, a three-person panel will make a recommendation to the full board on whether a violation occurred and what sanctions are appropriate, according to the board. Ohio Board of Professional Conduct.