• Meet Our Team
  • Advertise on SCDN
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
Friday, August 29
Scioto County Daily News
  • Login
  • Register
Subscribe For $1/week
  • Public Safety

    Gun Scare at Mound Park: Call Leads Police on Evening Hunt 

    SCDN File Photo

    From Classroom to Courtroom? Portsmouth Parents Call Police Over School Clashes 

    DUI Driver Arrested After Wreck at Elementary School

    🚨 From Crash Site to Cell Block: Woman Busted for OVI in Portsmouth 

    Fired Trucker Takes Company Rig on Wild Ride Across State Lines  

    Dog on chain outside

    🐾 Price of a Pup Tag Set to Climb — Scioto County to Raise Dog License Fees Amid Worsening Shelter Crisis 

    Family & First Responders Save the Day in Wheelersburg Scare  

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 08/28/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    Timmy’s Terror: Loose Pit Bull Sparks Dogfight, Death Threats, and Arrest 

    Police Activity

    Midnight Round-Up: Wanted Locals Learn the Hard Way

    Joseph Coby Portsmouth SWAT

    🚨 SWAT Roll-Out Over Missed Court Date: When Skipping Court Goes Too Far 

    Suspect arrested

    Suspect Busted at Mike’s Auto Sales: Drugs, Damage & a Rap Sheet a Mile Long 

    good cops

    Across Two States, First Responders Race to Protect Woman and Child Near Greenup Dam

    police car from the back seat

    Drunk, Armed & on a Lawn Mower: Lucasville Man Arrested After Wild Claim 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 08/27/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

    💔 Heartbreak in Wheelersburg: First Responders Face Sensitive Task After Child Finds Deceased Woman 

    🚨 Dad With a Hammer: Tough Love or Too Far?  

    Investigation detective

    Felon, Divorce, and a Silencer? Explosive Allegations Under Review 

    SCDN File Photo

    Gun Scare in Wayne Hills: Late-Night Call Puts Police on Alert 

    Whyette Copas

    Domestic Violence Bust at York Park: Blue Altima Brawl Ends in Arrest 

    Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

    Busted! 08/26/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis

    Bryan Davis Arraignment Set, New Judge Assigned 

    Bryan Davis

    Why Commissioner Davis Staying in Office Raises Big Problems 

    Scottie Powell

    Powell Calls on Commissioner Davis to Resign 

    Scioto County Bryan Davis Scandal

    🗓 Timeline of a Scandal: How Scioto County’s Economic Development Crisis Unfolded 

    Bryan Davis

    Commissioner Bryan Davis and Wife Indicted in Scioto Scandal 

    Joey Sandlin

    Joey Sandlin Announces Inauguration Ceremony  

    Erie Canal Lock 50

    After Nearly a Decade of Talk, Scioto County Moves Closer to Restoring Historic Lock 50 

    Portsmouth City Council 2023

    Portsmouth City Council Considers More Cash for Lawsuit Defense 

    West Virginia SNAP

    🚨No More Free Pop? West Virginia Bans Soda from SNAP—Should Ohio Be Next?🚨 

    We Don’t Do Roads!: Scioto Commissioners Clarify Who’s Really in Charge of Road Repairs 

    “I’m Not Here to Replace Cathy”: New Commissioner Merit Smith Says He’ll Lead with Life Experience 

    Merit Smith

    Merit Smith Chosen to Fill Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    Scottie Powell

    “Run on Vision, Not Attacks”: Powell Offers Advice to Candidates Vying for Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    🌿 Bamboo Gets Fast-Tracked at City Hall — But the Homeless Crisis? Still Stuck in Neutral 

    Who Will Carry Cathy’s Torch? GOP to Choose Coleman’s Replacement July 29 

    Cathy Coleman

    Commissioners Back Senior Housing Project Championed by Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    “Bad and Quirky” Lucasville House Targeted for Demolition as County Cracks Down on Blighted Properties 

    ‘A Great Addition to Heaven’: Commissioners Honor Cathy Coleman, Reflect on Her Legacy and Who Might Carry It Forward 

    Cathy Coleman

    Scioto County Mourns Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    🚨TRIAL TWIST! Horton Corruption Case on Ice—For Now 

  • Feel Good
    A man sitting in a vehicle is handing over an ID card to a female police officer standing by his window.

    Tips for Staying Calm During Police Encounters

    Cyn Mackley

    Cyn Mackley Channels Haunted Appalachia

    A group of friends stand around a table, smiling, laughing, and drinking. There are plates of food on the table.

    Creative Ways To Host Outdoor Events This Summer

    A family of two parents and a young boy and girl are playing laser tag with vests and laser blasters in an arena.

    What Activities To Offer at a Family Fun Center

    Shawnee State University SSU

    Shawnee State University Joins New Athletic Conference, Adds Football to Lineup 

    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

    Three girls in quinceañera dresses stand beside one another. The one in middle has a gold dress while the other two wear pink.

    Tips for Selecting the Color of a Quinceañera Dress

    The Day the Streak Ended: Lakers’ 1987 Record Broken

    An angler standing at the edge of a lake just after sunset with three fishing rods resting on the ground next to him.

    Night Fishing: Who Is It for and How Do You Start?

    good cops

    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

    good cops

    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

    A group of people stands outside with their arms in the air. They hold their hands together, making a pyramid shape.

    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

    good cops

    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

    Good Samaritan 2

    Good Neighbor and Officer to the Rescue 

    Portsmouth Flood Wall Stars

    Meet the New Flood Wall Stars! 

    A bearded man is sitting on the floor and comforting his dog in a wheelchair. The dog has his ears pinned back.

    Training Tips To Help Your Dog Get Used to Their Wheelchair

    U.S. housing market

    Tips for Making Your New House Feel Like a Home

  • Obituaries
    James Collins

    James Collins 82 0f Portsmouth

    Rick L. Newsome 57 of Wheelersburg

    Anthony Carl White

    Anthony Carl White, 67 of Stout

    Samantha Kay Carver-Lattimore

    Samantha Kay Carver-Lattimore 42 of Portsmouth,

     Mildred Jean Sullivan

     Mildred Jean Sullivan, 81 of Portsmouth

    William McGinnis

    Jonathon Robert Chanti, 69 of Gallipolis

    Harold Richard Smith, Jr. , 45, of Waverly

    Barbara Williams

    Betty Jane Bowman, 83 of Portsmouth

    Kay Kelly

     Kay Kelly, 73 of Portsmouth

      Jeffrey Paul Steele

      Jeffrey Paul Steele, 49 of Portsmouth

    Zackery Hatfield

    Zackery Hatfield, 42 of Lexington

    Anthony Wayne

    Anthony Wayne Payne, 48 of Portsmouth

    James M. Lewis

    James M. Lewis, of Stout

    Barbara Williams

    Laura Frances Benner, 89 of Lucasville

    Thaddeus Matthew Blizzard, 58, of Fort Worth

    Barbara Williams

    Connie Jane Viars Snyder, 76 of South Shore

    Garry E. Adkins

    Garry E. Adkins, 74 of South Webster

    Leeroy William Bush

    Leeroy William Bush “Bill”,81 of Casstown

    Jean Faye Lauro

    Jean Faye Lauro, 91, of Wheelersburg

    Donald Richard Aeh

    Donald Richard Aeh, 89, of Portsmouth

  • More News
    • All News
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Education
    • Economy
    • Food & Drinks
    • Local Business
    • National
    • Opinion
    • Regional
    • Strange But True
    • Trending
No Result
View All Result
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Register
Scioto County Daily News
No Result
View All Result

State Reprimands Judge Lemons for Rescuing Kids From Dangerous Home

Cyn Mackley by Cyn Mackley
3 years ago
in Public Safety
Scioto County Judge Richard Alan Lemons
ShareTweetEmail

State Reprimands Judge Lemons for Rescuing Kids From Dangerous Home

A Scioto County Judge took matters into his own hands to rescue children from a filthy and dangerous home, and now the state wants him to pay. 

The State of Ohio says Judge Richard Alan Lemons “deputized” members of his staff to conduct emergency removals of children from their parents because he was frustrated with CPS red tape. 

RELATED POSTS

James Collins 82 0f Portsmouth

Rick L. Newsome 57 of Wheelersburg

Samantha Kay Carver-Lattimore 42 of Portsmouth,

Scioto County Judge Richard Alan Lemons said he was frustrated with Scioto County CPS that he visited a home and issued an order to remove children from what he felt was an unsafe situation. The Ohio Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Conduct says he should be publicly reprimanded for his behavior. 

The board says Judge Lemons issued an emergency order to remove children from their home and place them in the permanent custody of CPS after conducting a personal inspection of the home.

Further, the board says he never disclosed his personal involvement during subsequent hearings and failed to remove himself from the case due to that involvement. 

The recommendation acknowledged that both the judge and Scioto County CPS were under tremendous strain due to the opioid epidemic and the overwhelming number of cases involving children coming before the court. 

They quoted Judge Lemons as saying, “It seemed to the court that everybody, every parent, seemed to be high and strung out.” 

Download the full 18-page court report here for free.

To cope with the overwhelming number of cases, the board says Lemons admitted that he appointed certain members of his staff to accept private referrals about a situation involving children and “deputized” members of his staff and CPS workers to remove children on an emergency basis without a formal ruling from the courts.

Lemons told the board he was frustrated with the inaction of Scioto County Children Services. Lemons said he urged CPS to act more quickly on the reports of child neglect and abuse they received but had no luck. The judge called the county an “opioid war zone.” 

Please Support This Local Business

The specific case that prompted this investigation involved a father with a long history of arrests. (This year he was arrested for the 49th time. )

He was arrested in 2017 for corrupting a minor with drugs and put in the Scioto County Jail. The children’s mother was also incarcerated at the time. The children were in the care of their invalid grandfather. 

A worried school resource officer contacted a member of the judge’s staff because he was worried for the children’s safety. As a result, a member of Judge Lemon’s staff and the father’s probation officer visited the house. They discovered an overflowing toilet, a house full of dog feces, a broken refrigerator, no beds for the children, and that the water had been turned off. 

However, when a CPS worker visited the home, she told the court that CPS protocols prevented her from immediately removing the children. When the judge pressed her over the decision, the caseworker allegedly admitted she “wouldn’t leave a dog in that house.”

A frustrated Judge Lemons decided to visit the home where he discovered the grandfather’s oxygen tank next to an open flame, a filthy house, no refrigerator, and the children inappropriately dressed for the weather. The judge decided to go ahead and issue an emergency order to remove the children without consulting CPS or the parents of the children that he had visited the home.

The father only discovered the judge had been in the home when he reprimanded him at a custody hearing. 

The board reprimanded the judge for failing to disclose the visit and for failing to remain neutral in a judicial procedure. They acknowledged he had a clean record and meant well, but said that was no excuse. 

They recommended he be publicly reprimanded and pay the court costs of $1,349.

This incident took place in 2017, two years before the murder of baby Dylan Groves, which resulted in the state taking control of Scioto County Children Services. 

Download the full 18-page court report here for free.

Tags: ArrestsChildrendrugsinvestigationOhiosafetyScioto County
Please Support This Local Business

TRENDING NOW

Busted Arrests Portsmouth Scioto County Mugshots

Busted! 08/22/25 New Arrests in Portsmouth, Ohio – Scioto County Mugshots

August 22, 2025
body

Missing Person Call Erupts Into Threats, Taser Standoff, and Dead Body! 

August 23, 2025
Eric A Froe

🚨 Repeat Trespasser Back Behind Bars — But For How Long?

August 23, 2025
Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

14 New Scioto County Grand Jury Indictments

August 21, 2025

💥🚬 Boom on the Block: Cigarette + Oxygen = Disaster in Portsmouth Home 

August 23, 2025

ABOUT US

We are a grassroots team of local journalists on a mission to give our community up-to-the-second news and events for Southern Ohio, Northern Kentucky, and Western West Virginia. We believe progress inspires change and we believe our reporting has become the front-lines of Portsmouth, Ohio's comeback.

CATEGORIES

  • Arts & Entertainment
  • Casino
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • Food & Drink
  • Local Business
  • National
  • Obituaries
  • Ohio
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Regional
  • Strange But True
  • Video

AREAS SERVED

  • Portsmouth
  • Wheelersburg
  • Minford
  • Waverly
  • Friendship
  • Ironton
  • West Union
  • Piketon
  • Coal Grove
  • South Point
  • Vanceburg
  • Grayson
  • South Shore
  • Greenup
  • Raceland
  • Ashland

SITE SEARCH

No Result
View All Result
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Public Safety
  • Lawrence County
  • Obituaries
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Feel Good
  • All News
  • About Us
    • Meet Our Team
    • FAQ
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise on SCDN
  • Legal
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Service

© 2025 Scioto County Daily News. All Rights Reserved.