LORAIN COUNTY, Ohio — A Lorain attorney was arrested Tuesday morning inside the Lorain County Justice Center after police issued a warrant related to a reported domestic violence incident earlier that day.
Mark Stephenson, 70, of Lorain, was taken into custody shortly before 11 a.m. while present in a courtroom for an unrelated legal matter. Officers from the Lorain Police Department executed the warrant without incident.
According to police, the arrest followed a response to a domestic complaint at Stephenson’s Lorain residence just after sunrise on Tuesday. Officers arrived at the home around 7 a.m. after receiving a call reporting an altercation. The reporting individual alleged that Stephenson had become physically aggressive during an interaction earlier that morning.
In a report filed with authorities, the alleged victim — identified as Stephenson’s spouse — described a history of household tension. She stated that the two had a disagreement regarding access to a shared space in the home. During that exchange, Stephenson allegedly pushed her, resulting in a minor injury. No visible trauma was noted in the report, and no prior police contact had been made regarding previous disputes, according to officers.
Stephenson was contacted by police later that morning while attending a hearing at the Justice Center in Elyria. He agreed to speak with officers and was transported to the Lorain County Jail, where he was booked on a single count of misdemeanor domestic violence. Jail records show that he remained in custody overnight.
The following morning, Stephenson appeared in Lorain Municipal Court and entered a plea of not guilty. A temporary protection order was issued, and he was released shortly after 11 a.m. on a personal recognizance bond.
The next hearing in the case is scheduled for August 11.
Stephenson is a partner at a Lorain law firm and has practiced law locally for decades. He previously worked in the county prosecutor’s office and currently focuses on civil and probate matters.
No further details about the case have been released by law enforcement or court officials as of this time.