The Ohio Supreme Court on Wednesday permanently disbarred Columbus attorney Javier Armengau, formally ending a long-running disciplinary saga tied to his 2014 criminal convictions. The court concluded that the seriousness of the offenses and the vulnerability of the victims left no room for anything short of permanent disbarment. Armengau continues to maintain that he is innocent.
The decision follows a recommendation from the state's disciplinary board and, as reported by The Columbus Dispatch, the court's opinion states that Armengau "should never be allowed to practice law in the state again." According to the Dispatch, the justices focused on the violent and predatory nature of the crimes in ruling out any future return to the bar.
How the Disciplinary Case Reached the Supreme Court
The Ohio Board of Professional Conduct first recommended disbarment in 2019, but the matter stalled while Armengau pursued a series of appeals. In October 2025, after those delays, the board again filed a report that asked the Supreme Court to impose permanent disbarment, a timeline and recommendation detailed by Court News Ohio. Because Armengau objected to the board’s findings, the case went to the state’s high court instead of being resolved through a consent agreement.
Case History and Convictions
In 2014, a Franklin County jury convicted Armengau of multiple sex offenses connected to his work as a criminal defense lawyer. The counts included rape, kidnapping, several counts of sexual battery, and gross sexual imposition. The Tenth District Court of Appeals later outlined those convictions and the resentencing that produced a 13-year aggregate prison term in an opinion posted by the Supreme Court of Ohio.
Local coverage at the time from WCBE noted that the trial judge imposed that 13-year sentence and that Armengau immediately vowed to appeal, setting off the lengthy appellate and disciplinary process that followed.
Victims' Testimony and the Court's Reasoning
Court records and news reporting describe accusations from several women who said they encountered Armengau in the context of seeking legal help. According to testimony highlighted by The Columbus Dispatch, one immigrant woman told jurors that Armengau forced sex acts by threatening to abandon her case and put her at risk of deportation.
In both the board’s report and the Supreme Court’s opinion, the women’s vulnerability and the violent, predatory character of the offenses were treated as major aggravating factors. Those findings helped drive the high court to conclude that no lesser sanction than permanent disbarment would adequately protect the public or preserve confidence in the legal profession.
Restitution, Mitigation and Armengau's Stance
On the financial side, disciplinary materials note that Armengau has been repaying amounts identified by the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection. The fund listed about $28,200 in reimbursable claims tied to his practice, and records reflect that roughly $3,335 has been repaid so far.
The board considered letters of support and other mitigating evidence submitted on Armengau’s behalf, but ultimately concluded that those factors did not outweigh the gravity of his misconduct. In a preview of the disciplinary case, Court News Ohio also noted that the Supreme Court held the matter in abeyance until his direct criminal appeals were resolved and that he was released from prison near the end of 2023.
What Disbarment Means
Permanent disbarment means Armengau is barred from practicing law in Ohio for life. The sanction typically triggers follow-up steps by disciplinary authorities, including procedures to secure or return any remaining client files. The Office of Disciplinary Counsel maintains guidance and lists for handling abandoned client files and other loose ends when a lawyer is removed from the roll of attorneys.
The Supreme Court’s order effectively closes the professional chapter that began with the 2014 jury verdicts and ran through years of appeals and disciplinary stops and starts. Armengau can still pursue any remaining legal avenues open to him on the criminal side, but as far as the state’s high court is concerned, his law license in Ohio is gone for good.
