Russell D. Kegley

Professional career

• Russell D. Kegley has been a municipal court judge in Portsmouth, Ohio, since January 2003
• This action violated multiple provisions of the Code of Judicial Conduct, including prohibitions against allowing family relationships to influence judicial decisions, abusing the prestige of judicial office, and failing to promote public confidence in the judiciary Following a complaint filed by the Office of Disciplinary Counsel in June 2024, the Ohio Supreme Court issued a six-month fully stayed suspension for Judge Kegley in March 2025

Education

Additional information

• In May 2023, Judge Kegley became involved in a high-profile ethical controversy when his son, Case Kegley, was arrested for domestic violence and resisting arrest
• He serves alongside Judge Steven L. Mowery, and together they established court policies, including a bond schedule for domestic violence cases that requires defendants to remain in custody until their initial court appearance
• Long-serving municipal judge whose career has been marked by a significant ethical controversy involving his son’s legal case