Lorain attorney back in court on domestic violence charge

LORAIN — A longtime Lorain County attorney who was arrested last month in a Common Pleas Courtroom after his wife filed a domestic violence charge against him was back in court Monday. Mark Stephenson, 70, of Lorain, signed a modified temporary protection order, or TPO, before visiting Judge Mark Comstock, the retired Berea Municipal Court judge presiding over the case to avoid any conflict of interest with Lorain Municipal judges. Stephenson has pleaded not guilty to a single charge of domestic violence, a misdemeanor, and is free on a personal bond. He is accused of pushing his wife into a bedroom door frame, injuring her left forearm, on July 15. The modified TPO requires Stephenson to live in the couple's Lorain residence. The alleged victim will live in a home the couple owns in Sheffield Lake. Stephenson is barred from going to the Sheffield Lake residence while the TPO is in effect, Comstock told him. The victim was not present in court Monday but was aware of and approved of the changes to the TPO, Chief Assistant City Prosecutor Mallory Santiago said. The next hearing in the case is scheduled Sept. 8. "We're proceeding on a case that involves a non-event," attorney Michael Camera, who is representing Stephenson, told a Chronicle-Telegram reporter after Monday's hearing. "Anybody, anybody who knows Mark Stephenson knows he would never hurt this woman or any other woman. He's a respected member of the community, a lawyer for more than 40 years. I've known him forever. I will have no problem finding character witnesses to tell you exactly what I'm telling you." The alleged victim has filed for divorce. All three Lorain County Domestic Relations judges have recused themselves from hearing that matter, and have asked that a visiting judge be appointed. A Lorain police report said the Stephensons had been experiencing "ongoing marital issues" and were sleeping in separate bedrooms in their Lorain home prior to the July 15 incident. Denying any wrongdoing, Stephenson told Lorain police his wife prevented him from leaving the master bedroom that morning, that he walked past her, they didn't have any physical contact and that their argument didn't involve any threats or violence. Stephenson was arrested in Judge Chris Cook's courtroom later that morning where he had been handling a civil case for a client. He was handcuffed, arrested, booked, held overnight at the Lorain County Jail and released on bond the following day, according to court and jail records. A former assistant Lorain County prosecutor, Stephenson practices estate, business and probate law. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com.