Judge threw someone in jail for contempt for cussing

For the second day in a row, Judge Robert Ruehlman threw someone in jail and cited him for contempt for cussing in the courtroom.


It was an accused gang member Wednesday. On Thursday, it was a private attorney in a non-criminal case.

Michael Brautigam was before Ruehlman representing himself in a contentious civil suit he had filed against his North Avondale condo association and other condo owners in the building who are represented by Cincinnati attorney Peter Koenig.

Brautigam lives at Rose Crest Condominiums in the 700 block of Clinton Springs Avenue. He sued, accusing the condo association of not properly taking care of the building and asked a judge to force it to fix the roof and make other repairs.

Brautigam, who is an attorney but isn't licensed in Ohio, asked Ruehlman for more time to file documents. Ruehlman gave it to him.

As Koenig and Brautigam turned to walk away from the judge, Brautigam called Koenig "a (bleeping) liar."

"He used the famous F-word," Koenig said. "(Ruehlman) asked Mr. Brautigam if he said that."

Brautigam admitted he had and had directed it at Koenig.

Ruehlman cited Brautigam for contempt and sent him to jail for six months. more