Can a municipal court deputy bailiff privately own a business that evicts tenants for landlords for a fee?

Plain-English summary

The Board addressed whether a deputy bailiff of a municipal court could privately own a business that evicts tenants for landlords for a fee. Deputy bailiffs are appointed by municipal judges (or, in one court, the clerk), perform services for the court, and receive compensation, so as judicial employees they are subject to Ohio Ethics Law, on which the Board renders advice.

Applying R.C. 102.03(A) and (D), the Board reasoned that a deputy bailiff serves eviction orders for a court with jurisdiction in forcible entry and detainer actions, lending the force of law to an eviction, and that owning a private eviction business means being privately employed by a landlord to physically evict tenants after the court's orders are served. The Board concluded that this use of the bailiff's public position, and the overlap between the public duty and the private fee-earning business, made the private ownership improper under Ohio Ethics Law.

Currency note

The Ohio Board flags this as a "Former CJC Opinion" addressing a judicial employee under the framework associated with the former Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct and Ohio Ethics Law; the former judicial code was superseded by the Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct, which superseded the former Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct effective March 1, 2009.

This opinion issued in 1994. Subsequent statutory or rule amendments or later opinions may have changed the analysis. Treat this page as historical context, not current guidance. Verify against current Ohio Ethics Law before relying on any specific provision mentioned here.

Common questions

Q: Could a municipal court deputy bailiff own a private eviction business?

A: No. The Board concluded it was improper under Ohio Ethics Law for a deputy bailiff to privately own a business that evicts tenants for landlords for a fee while serving the court.

Q: Why did Ohio Ethics Law apply to a deputy bailiff?

A: The Board explained that deputy bailiffs are judicial employees who perform services for and are compensated by the court, so they are subject to the restrictions of R.C. 102.03, including subsections (A) and (D).

Q: What was the core conflict the Board identified?

A: A deputy bailiff serves court eviction orders, lending the force of law to an eviction, while a private eviction business is hired by the landlord to carry out the physical eviction, an overlap the Board found improper.

Background and rules framework

The opinion interprets Ohio Ethics Law, R.C. 102.03(A) (post-employment and representation restrictions) and R.C. 102.03(D) (use of office to secure things of value), as applied to a deputy bailiff who is a judicial employee under R.C. 102.01(F)(2), with appointment and duties set by R.C. 1901.32.

Citations and references

Statutes:

• Ohio Rev. Code Ann. Sections 102.03(A), 102.03(D), 102.01(F)(2) (Baldwin Supp. 1993)
• Ohio Rev. Code Ann. Section 1901.32(A)(2), (3), (6) (Baldwin 1993)

See also

• Ohio BPC Op. 1992-014: Referees and Magistrates Soliciting Conference Support
• Ohio BPC Op. 1991-028: Court of Claims Clerk Financial Disclosure Statements
• Ohio BPC Op. 1992-018: Court Administrator Authoring a Handbook and Royalties

Source

• Landing page: https://ohioadvop.org/advisory-opinion-index/
• Original PDF: https://www.ohioadvop.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Op-94-001.pdf

Original opinion text

Reproduced from the official source for research purposes. The linked source is authoritative.

The Supreme Court of Ohio
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ON GRIEVANCES AND DISCIPLINE
41 SOUTH HIGH STREET-SUITE 3370, COLUMBUS, OH 43215-6105
(614) 644-5800 FAX: (614) 644-5804

OFFICE OF SECRETARY

OPINION 94-1
Issued February 18, 1994
[Former CJC Opinion-provides advice under the former Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct which is superseded by the
Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct, eff. 3/1/2009.]

[Not Current- subsequent rule amendments to Canons 1 through 6, Ohio Code of Judicial Conduct, eff. May 1, 1997.]

SYLLABUS: It is improper under Ohio Ethics Law, for a deputy bailiff of a municipal court to
privately own a business that evicts tenants for landlords for a fee, while serving the court as a
deputy bailiff.

OPINION: The question presented is whether it is proper for a deputy bailiff of a municipal court
to privately own a business that evicts tenants for landlords for a fee. For the reasons stated below,
the Board finds it improper.

In Ohio, deputy bailiffs of municipal courts are appointed by municipal judges, the exception being
one municipal court wherein the appointment is by the clerk. See Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 1901.32
(A) (2) and (3) (Baldwin 1993). Deputy bailiffs perform services for the court and receive
compensation therefore. See Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 1901.32 (A) (2) and (6) (Baldwin 1993).

As judicial employees, deputy bailiffs are subject to the restrictions within Ohio Ethics Law for
which this Board is the appropriate ethics commission to render advice. See Ohio Rev. Code Ann.
§102.01 (F) (2). The relevant provisions within Ohio Ethics Law, Sections 102.03 (A) and (D) of
the Ohio Revised Code (Baldwin Supp. 1993), are set forth below.

Section 102.03 (A) No present or former public official or employee shall, during
his [her] public employment or service or for twelve months thereafter, represent a
client or act in a representative capacity for any person on any matter in which he
[she] personally participated as a public official or employee through decision,
approval, disapproval, recommendation, the rendering of advice, investigation, or
other substantial exercise of administrative discretion.

Section 102.03 (D) No public official or employee shall use or authorize the use of
the authority or influence of his [her] office or employment to secure anything of
value or the promise or offer of anything of value that is of such a character as to
manifest a substantial and improper influence upon him [her] with respect to his
[her] duties.

A deputy bailiff of a municipal court would serve eviction orders for a municipal court with
jurisdiction in forcible entry and detainer actions. See Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 102.01 (F) (2).
Thus, the deputy bailiff would lend the force of law to an eviction. As an owner of a private
eviction business, the deputy bailiff would be privately employed by a landlord to physically evict a
tenant from the landlord's premises. The eviction would take place after service of the eviction
orders.

It is the Board's view that a deputy bailiff's authority in serving eviction orders would enhance his
or her private business of evicting tenants, violating Section 102.03 (D). Further, under Section
102.03 (A) a deputy bailiff's participation in serving an eviction order on a tenant would preclude
the bailiff from accepting private employment from the landlord to evict the tenant. Thus, in
answer to the question presented, the Board advises that it is improper under Ohio Ethics Law, for a
deputy bailiff of a municipal court to privately own a business that evicts tenants for landlords for a
fee, while serving the court as a deputy bailiff.

On a final note, the Board acknowledges that it is the judge who exercises the power of
appointment. In exercising the power of appointment, a judge must abide by the Code of Judicial
Conduct. Under Canon 3B(4) "[a] judge should not make unnecessary appointments. He [she]
should exercise his [her] power of appointment only on the basis of merit, eliminating nepotism and
favoritism. He [she] should not approve compensation of appointees beyond the fair value of
services rendered."

When making appointments, a judge must also consider the restrictions within Canon 2 of the Code
of Judicial Conduct.

Canon 2(A) A judge should respect and comply with the law and should conduct
himself [herself] at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the
integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. (Emphasis added.)

Canon 2(B) A judge should not allow his family, social, or other relationships to
influence his [her] judicial conduct or judgment. He [she] should not lend the
prestige of his [her] office to advance the private interests of others; nor should
he [she] convey or permit others to convey the impression that they are in a
special position to influence him [her]. He [she] should not testify voluntarily as a
character witness. (Emphasis added.)

It does not promote public confidence in the fairness and impartiality of the judicial system for a
court employee to officially serve eviction orders and to privately evict tenants for landlords for a
fee. Thus, the Board suggests that a judge should avoid such appointments.

Advisory Opinions of the Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline are
informal, nonbinding opinions in response to prospective or hypothetical questions regarding
the application of the Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Bar of Ohio, the
Supreme Court Rules for the Government of the Judiciary, the Code of Professional
Responsibility, the Code of Judicial Conduct, and the Attorney’s Oath of Office. Pursuant to
Section 102.08 of the Ohio Revised Code, the requester may reasonably rely on the opinion as
it applies to Ohio Ethics Law and related statutes.