Attorney on appeal case recommended for suspension

A Sandusky attorney was recommended for a sixmonth stayed suspension by the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct for failing to adequately keep her client informed during an appeal.

According to a June 12 recommendation, Loretta Ann Riddle was appointed in April 2016 to represent Andrew Kouts on an appeal of his 54-month prison sentence for two counts of felony gross sexual imposition and five counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor.

The suspension was stayed on the condition that Riddle engage in no further misconduct and complete at least 12 hours of continuing legal education.

The professional conduct board found that Riddle did not contact Kouts directly after the appointment and did not communicate with him directly until Aug. 18, 2016, more than four months later.

In a July 15, 2016, letter sent to Riddle by Kouts, he claimed he and his mother had made several attempts to contact her and requested she file a motion to withdraw as his attorney.

In August that year, Riddle filed a motion to withdraw as counsel which was denied by the court.

Also, the court required Riddle to file an appellate brief on behalf of Kouts.

According to the filing, Riddle did not attempt to contact Kouts regarding the brief and filed it without consulting him.

Riddle testified she did not have initial communication with Kouts because she initially believed she had mailed him a “standard letter” outlining the appeal process, but overlooked it.

In its recommendation, the professional conduct board did not feel Riddle took responsibility in the matter stating, rejecting her testimony of the situation being a breakdown in communication.

“This is not a case about a client who abruptly decides that he wants nothing to do with his counsel, and does not trust her,” the professional conduct board said. “Nor is this case about (Riddle) inability to communicate with her client.

“Instead, this case is about (Riddle) choosing not to communicate with her client.”