On Friday, August 4, 2023, the Board of Professional Conduct of the Supreme Court of Ohio recommended the suspension of attorney Jack Herchel VanBibber for failing to adhere to court orders arising from traffic violations.

The case is entitled “In the Matter of Jack Herchel VanBibber,” with case no. 2022-050.

The case centered on VanBibber’s infractions of traffic laws across multiple jurisdictions. These transgressions encompassed the failure to adhere to court orders arising from the traffic violations, the provision of misleading information to law enforcement officers during traffic stops, various IOLTA violations, and a lack of cooperation in the ongoing disciplinary investigation. Importantly, it should be highlighted that none of these violations led to any harm to clients.

One instance happened on December 25, 2017, ten days prior to VanBibber’s admission to the Ohio Bar, he drove his truck off a road in Sugarcreek Township, Greene County, colliding with a tree. It was noted that he had consumed alcohol before driving and subsequently declined a chemical test for alcohol, controlled substances, or metabolites. Consequently, his driver’s license was confiscated and administratively suspended under R.C. 4511.191.

Another incident happened in Orange Township, Delaware County, on December 19, 2018, when the Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nikki Snead pulled over VanBibber after observing him swerve across six lanes to the right and then four lanes to the left. During the stop, Trooper Snead discovered marijuana in the trunk of VanBibber’s car, leading to a charge of marijuana possession, categorized as a minor misdemeanor in the Delaware Municipal Court under State v. VanBibber.

Considering the aforementioned points, and other misconducts as mentioned above, the panel recommended that VanBibber should be suspended from practicing law for a duration of two years.

The Board Recommendation states:

“Pursuant to Gov. Bar R. V, Section 12, the Board of Professional Conduct considered this matter on August 4, 2023. The Board voted to adopt findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendation of the hearing panel and recommends that Respondent, Jack Herchel VanBibber, be suspended from the practice of law in Ohio for two years, with the suspension stayed in its entirety on the conditions that Respondent: (1) contacts the Ohio Lawyers’ Assistance Program within 30 days of the entry of the final disciplinary order in this matter to schedule a substance abuse evaluation; (2) complies with any recommendations arising from the OLAP evaluation; (3) completes a two-year term of monitored probation pursuant to Gov. Bar R. V, Section 21, with monitoring to focus on IOLTA compliance and compliance with any recommendations arising from the OLAP evaluation; and (4) engages in no further misconduct. The Board further recommends that Respondent be ordered to pay the costs of these proceedings.”

Mr. VanBibber practices in Mansfield, Ohio. He is licensed in Ohio with license no. 0097242. His info can be found on avvo.com.

A copy of the original filing can be found here.