Zedaker v. State Med. Bd.

[Cite as Zedaker v. State Med. Bd., 2024-Ohio-6108.]

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF OHIO

TENTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

James Zedaker, :

Appellant-Appellant, :

v. : No. 24AP-244

(C.P.C. No. 23CV-6056)

State Medical Board of Ohio, :

(REGULAR CALENDAR)

Appellee-Appellee. :

D E C I S I O N

Rendered on December 31, 2024

On brief: Graff & McGovern, L.P.A., and Brandon M. Smith,

for appellant. Argued: Brandon M. Smith.

On brief: Dave Yost, Attorney General, and Kyle C. Wilcox,

for appellee. Argued: Kyle C. Wilcox.

APPEAL from the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas

DORRIAN, J.

{¶ 1} Appellant, James Zedaker, appeals from a judgment of the Franklin County

Court of Common Pleas affirming an order of appellee, State Medical Board of Ohio

(“Board”), suspending his license to practice as a physician assistant (“PA”) for six months,

imposing a $1000 fine, and placing his license on probation, subject to certain conditions,

for a minimum of one year. For the following reasons, we affirm.

I. Facts and Procedural History

{¶ 2} Appellant obtained an Ohio license to practice as a PA in 2004 and has

renewed his license every two years since that time. He is also actively licensed as a PA in

Florida and California. In January 2016, he was hired by Florida State University (“FSU”)

to develop an accredited PA training program; the program began in fall 2017.

No. 24AP-244 2

{¶ 3} By letter dated November 5, 2021, FSU informed appellant that he was the

subject of a formal sexual misconduct investigation based on complaints by FSU

employees. On November 29, 2021, appellant was interviewed by FSU investigators about

the allegations. On December 2, 2021, appellant submitted an online application seeking

to renew his Ohio PA license. As relevant here, in the renewal application, he answered

“No” when asked “[a]t any time since signing your last application for renewal of your

certificate have you been investigated, warned, censured, put on probation, terminated, or

disciplined by any employer, hospital, group, practice, nursing home, clinic, health

maintenance organization, or other similar institution, for any reason?” (Record of

Proceedings, Dec. 2, 2021 License Renewal App., State’s Ex. 3 at 6.)

{¶ 4} By notice dated April 13, 2022, the Board informed appellant that it would

determine whether to take disciplinary action against his license to practice as a PA for the

following reason:

(1) On or about December 2, 2021, you submitted an online

application to renew your license to practice as a physician

assistant [Application]. On your Application, you answered

“no” to two questions regarding being involved in any

investigations since signing your last application for renewal.

In fact, you were notified of a pending investigation at Florida

State University on November 5, 2021, and were interviewed

as part of the investigation on November 29, 2021.

Your acts, conduct, and/or omissions as alleged in paragraph

(1) above, individually and/or collectively, constitute

“[m]aking a false, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading

statement in soliciting or advertising for employment as a

physician assistant; in connection with any solicitation or

advertisement for patients; in relation to the practice of

medicine as it pertains to physician assistants; or in securing

or attempting to secure a license to practice as a physician

assistant, as that clause is used in Section 4730.25(B)(8), Ohio

Revised Code.

(Record of Proceedings, Oct. 24, 2022 Notice, State’s Ex. 1(a).)

{¶ 5} Appellant requested and received an adjudicatory hearing. At that hearing,

held before a Board hearing examiner on October 24, 2022, appellant testified he received

the November 5, 2021 letter from FSU and was thus aware that he was under investigation

related to allegations of sexual misconduct made by FSU employees; he further

No. 24AP-244 3

acknowledged that he hired legal counsel approximately one week later to defend him.

When asked by the assistant attorney general whether he was interviewed by FSU

investigators pursuant to that investigation, counsel for appellant objected and requested

that the assistant attorney general “establish timelines per the question so that the record

is clear what was in my client’s head and on what dates so that it’s not just a blurring or a

merging.” (Record of Proceedings Tr. at 25.) In response, the assistant attorney general

asked appellant to identify a section of State’s exhibit 5 establishing that as part of the

investigation, he was interviewed by FSU investigators on November 29, 2021. State’s

exhibit 5 consists of FSU’s investigative file, an 86-page document which includes an 8-

page investigative summary dated January 4, 2022, along with several attachments. The

attachments include a written statement from one of appellant’s alleged accusers,

investigator notes from appellant’s November 29, 2021 interview, investigator notes from

interviews of appellant’s alleged accusers, and samples of text messages sent between

appellant and an alleged accuser.

{¶ 6} Appellant averred that he was “pretty much * * * kept in the dark as to what

the investigation was.” (Record of Proceedings Tr. at 27.) In response to that statement,

the assistant attorney general asked appellant to identify portions of State’s exhibit 5 setting

forth his responses to questions posed by the FSU investigators. Appellant ultimately

agreed that he understood from the interview that he was being investigated about his

employment at FSU and his relationships with employees.

{¶ 7} Appellant further testified that in the December 2, 2021 Ohio license renewal

application, he answered no when asked if at any time since signing his last renewal

application he had been investigated for any reason by any employer. Appellant averred

that he knowingly answered no to the question because it was an accurate answer “for the

time it was answered.” (Record of Proceedings Tr. at 40.) Appellant explained that he

answered as he did because he interpreted the word “investigated” as pertaining to

investigations having been conducted in the past rather than being presently conducted.

Appellant clarified:

To me, investigated is past tense. And I was - - in the middle

of this [investigation]. So this was not an intent to mislead.

This was just me reading the words that were there. And

investigated is past tense. And I read this as, you know, I was

No. 24AP-244 4

in the middle of something; not having been investigated, I

was being investigated.

(Record of Proceedings Tr. at 41.)

{¶ 8} Appellant acknowledged that the question does not ask whether a past

investigation had been completed; however, he reiterated that the question “uses past tense

words” and that the investigation by FSU “was not completed, and so I didn’t look at this as

I’ve been investigated.” (Record of Proceedings Tr. at 42.) He further acknowledged that

he was under investigation by FSU at the time he completed the license renewal application.

He averred that had the question asked if he was “currently under investigation,” he would

have answered yes. (Record of Proceedings Tr. at 54-55.)

{¶ 9} At the conclusion of appellant’s testimony, the state moved to admit State’s

exhibit 5 for the purpose of establishing dates related to the investigation, such as when

appellant was notified of the investigation and when he was interviewed by FSU

investigators. Counsel for appellant objected on grounds that the file included disparaging

information about appellant unrelated to the proceedings at issue. The hearing examiner

admitted State’s exhibit 5 “for the purpose of which it is being offered.” (Record of

Proceedings Tr. at 66.)

{¶ 10} After a brief recess, the hearing examiner offered the following clarification

regarding admission of State’s exhibit 5:

I do want to make a clarification. I’m looking at the notice

letter, which is Exhibit 1a, and the notice letter is about a

possible [R.C. 4730.25](B)(8) violation on the renewal

application and is answered no -- Mr. Zedaker’s answer to no

[sic] to two questions. And Exhibit 5 was offered, my

understanding - - and I’ll give the parties the chance to

address this after I’m done - - was being offered solely as to - -

for the purposes of the dates of - - of when the investigation

was occurring and when he - - when Mr. Zedaker was

interviewed by the Florida officials.

And I allowed the introduction of Exhibit 5 - - State’s Exhibit

5 for the purposes of establishing when particular things

happened during the investigation. And that’s the only

purpose that I’m allowing Exhibit 5 into the record. I don’t -

- I’m not considering a lot - - for the purposes of the report

and recommendation, a lot of the other things that are said in

Exhibit 5 about the allegations of sexual harassment because

No. 24AP-244 5

that was not the stated purpose of the document being

introduced. But I am allowing it for the purposes of how when

[sic] the investigation was being conducted by Florida State.

So that’s my ruling.

Of course, the Board will review my -- both my factual findings

and my legal decisions, but the - - that’s - - so I’m allowing

Exhibit 5 - - State’s Exhibit 5 but for only those purposes.

(Record of Proceedings Tr. at 67-68.)

{¶ 11} Thereafter, counsel for appellant renewed the objection to consideration of

State’s exhibit 5 for any reason.

{¶ 12} On July 13, 2023, the hearing examiner issued a report and recommendation,

finding that appellant’s explanation for his answer to the question in the license renewal

application was not credible. The hearing examiner reasoned:

[T]his question clearly calls for the disclosure of an

investigation. * * * It specifically calls for any investigations

conducted by his employer. Mr. Zedaker had not only recently

been notified about an investigation but had answered

questions by FSU officials in the presence of his attorney just

days before he submitted his renewal application. The

question essentially asked, “have you been investigated…by

any employer…since signing your last application for

renewal[.]” The obvious answer to that question, under Mr.

Zedaker’s circumstances, was “Yes.” Mr. Zedaker claimed that

because the question utilized the past tense when is [sic] said

“investigated,” instead of calling for an ongoing investigation,

that he was justified in stating “No” to this question. This is

simply not credible. The question was obviously calling for

any investigation by any employer—not just investigations

that had been concluded before he filled out his renewal

application. Furthermore, having heard Mr. Zedaker’s

testimony, coupled with observing his demeanor when

testifying, the Hearing Examiner finds this part of his

testimony regarding the past tense of the word “investigated”

to be incredulous. Even if the notice letter lacked sufficient

factual details, he had just been interviewed by FSU officials

extensively about the underlying allegations just days before

he submitted his renewal application. The fact that he insisted

at the hearing that his interpretation was justifiable is further

troubling. Based on the following, the Hearing Examiner finds

that Mr. Zedaker intended to mislead the Board when he

answered “No” to the second question at issue.

No. 24AP-244 6

(Record of Proceedings, July 13, 2023 Report & Recommendation at 12.)

{¶ 13} Thus, the hearing examiner concluded that appellant engaged in the conduct

alleged in the Board’s notice, which was sanctionable pursuant to R.C. 4730.25(B).1 The

hearing examiner recommended that appellant’s license be suspended for 6 months, he be

fined $1000, and he be placed on probation for a minimum of 1 year, with the condition

that he complete a professional ethics course and a professional boundaries in the

workplace course. In support of the recommended sanction, the hearing examiner averred:

As to the appropriate sanction, there are a few aggravating

factors. Mr. Zedaker clearly had a duty to be completely

candid with the Board in his renewal application and failed to

do so. Furthermore, at the hearing, he insisted he was justified

in his failure to disclose. In mitigation, this appears to be an

isolated incident, which is unlikely to reoccur. Furthermore,

he has been a PA for several years, and has no prior

disciplinary history. The Assistant Attorney General made no

recommendation as to an appropriate sanction.

As to the FSU investigation, the Hearing Examiner, in an

abundance of caution, ruled that he would allow St. Ex. 5 to

be introduced by the State, but would only consider it for

purposes of a timeline. Even assuming the findings in the FSU

investigation are true, his conduct at FSU does not appear to

violate R.C. 4730.25 et seq. However, the Hearing Examiner

does find that Respondent’s motivation for his failure to

disclose was his attempt to hide the investigation from the

Board due to the serious nature of the allegations. Although

the Hearing Examiner did not consider the findings of the

investigation in its determination of whether Respondent

violated R.C. 4730.24(B)(8) [sic], the “Board may consider

aggravating circumstances, including uncharged misconduct,

in determining the appropriate sanction for a member who

violates the rules of practice.” Froe[h]lich v. Ohio State Med.

Bd., 2016-Ohio-1035, 61 N.E.3d 568, ¶ 31 (10th Dist.2016).

Although the allegations and findings from the FSU

investigation are quite troubling, Mr. Zedaker’s ability to

1 In the renewal application, appellant also answered “No” when asked “[a]t any time since signing your last

application for renewal of your certificate have you been investigated, warned, censured, put on probation,

disciplined, or have had any charges, allegations or complaints filed against you, by any board, bureau,

department, agency, or any other body, including those in Ohio?” (Record of Proceedings, License Renewal

App. at 5.) The hearing examiner found that although appellant unreasonably responded “No” to this

question, the state was unable to prove that appellant violated R.C. 4730.25(B). This finding was based on

appellant’s testimony regarding his subjective understanding of the question and his misunderstanding of the

term “department” as used in the question. (Record of Proceedings, Report & Recommendation at 11-12.)

No. 24AP-244 7

participate in the investigation appeared circumvented: He

was not permitted to question his accusers/victims, he

allegedly did not get an opportunity to offer evidence, and

there did not appear to be any sort of official review of the

findings.

(Record of Proceedings, Report & Recommendation at 12-13.)

{¶ 14} On July 14, 2023, the hearing examiner issued an errata as to the “Procedural

Matters” section of the report and recommendation. The revised “Procedural Matters”

section provides:

The hearing was held using videoconferencing software.

During the hearing, the Respondent objected to State’s Ex. 5

as irrelevant because it involved uncharged conduct. (Tr. at

66.) At the hearing, the Hearing Examiner allowed it solely for

purposes of establishing a timeline of events. (Tr. 68-69.)

After deliberations, the Hearing Examiner additionally

considered notes taken from the Respondent’s FSU interview,

which was attached to Ex. 5, as to whether Respondent was

sufficiently apprised of the allegations of the investigation to

put him on notice he had an obligation to affirmatively answer

the two questions at issue, which goes to the core of the

Board’s charges against him. That being said, the Hearing

Examiner did not consider State’s Ex. 5 for purposes of

finding he violated the Board’s charges. However, the Hearing

Examiner did consider the limited testimony regarding the

allegations in determining the recommended sanction. (Tr. at

27-28.)

(Record of Proceedings, July 14, 2023 Errata for Report & Recommendation.)

{¶ 15} Appellant filed objections to the hearing examiner’s report and

recommendation. Appellant first objected to the hearing examiner’s admission and

utilization of State’s exhibit 5 on grounds that such violated his due process rights.

Appellant maintained that the notice of intent was constitutionally deficient because it

failed to adequately notify him of the Board’s intention to use the information contained in

State’s exhibit 5 against him. Appellant particularly noted the hearing examiner’s

statements regarding the “serious” and “troubling” nature of the allegations contained in

State’s exhibit 5 in enhancing the recommended sanction. (Record of Proceedings, Objs. at

2.) Appellant also objected to the hearing examiner’s findings of fact and conclusions of

law regarding his determination that appellant had the subjective intent to deceive the

No. 24AP-244 8

Board when responding in the negative to the question asking whether he had been

investigated by any employer since signing his last application for renewal. Appellant

pointed to his testimony that he read the question to refer to concluded investigations, not

ongoing investigations, and answered accordingly. He further noted in his testimony that

had the question asked about ongoing investigations directly, he would have disclosed the

investigation by FSU.

{¶ 16} At a Board meeting held on August 9, 2023, both appellant and his counsel

addressed the Board. The minutes of the Board meeting show that counsel reiterated the

legal arguments raised in the objections to the hearing examiner’s report and

recommendation, particularly noting the content of State’s exhibit 5, described by counsel

as laying out “salacious and unsubstantiated allegations against Mr. Zedaker which were

not the focus of the Notice of Opportunity for Hearing.” (Record of Proceedings, Bd.

Meeting Minutes at 2.) Counsel requested that if the Board issued any sanctions against

appellant, it do so without consideration of any of the evidence included in State’s exhibit

5. For his part, appellant stated he did not intend to mislead the Board. He explained that

between March 2020 and his December 2021 license renewal application, he was under a

great deal of stress due to his significantly increased workload, the suicides of a friend and

a student, his hospitalizations for dehydration, exhaustion and heart issues, and the

commencement of the FSU investigation. He further explained that he answered the

application question at issue as he interpreted it, i.e., he did not report the ongoing FSU

investigation because he felt the question was a past-tense question.

{¶ 17} The assistant attorney general also addressed the Board, arguing that the

question on the license renewal application asking if appellant had been investigated by his

employer was unambiguous. The assistant attorney general further argued that the fact

appellant appeared before the FSU investigative panel just a few days before completing

the license renewal application established that he lied on the application and evidenced

his intent to deceive the Board.

{¶ 18} Without any discussion regarding appellant’s case, the Board voted to adopt

the hearing examiner’s report and recommendation, including the proposed findings of

fact, conclusions of law and proposed order included therein. The Board issued its order

on August 9, 2023.

No. 24AP-244 9

{¶ 19} Appellant timely appealed the Board’s order to the common pleas court. On

March 11, 2024, the common pleas court issued a decision and judgment entry affirming

the Board’s order. The court concluded that the Board’s order “is supported by reliable,

probative and substantial evidence and is in accordance with law.” (Decision & Jgmt. Entry

at 11.)

II. Assignments of Error

{¶ 20} In a timely appeal, appellant advances the following two assignments of error

for our review:

I. The lower court abused its discretion when it determined

that the Board’s consideration of items outside of the notice

did not violate Mr. Zedaker’s due process rights and that the

order was issued in accordance with law.

II. The lower court abused its discretion when it determined

that the board proved Mr. Zedaker intended to mislead the

board and that the order is based on reliable, probative, and

substantial evidence and is in accordance with law.

III. Discussion

{¶ 21} Under R.C. 119.12, when a common pleas court reviews an order of an

administrative agency, it must consider the entire record to determine if the agency’s order

is supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence and is in accordance with law.

Applegate v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 07AP-78, 2007-Ohio-6384, ¶ 10. “To

be ‘reliable,’ evidence must be dependable and true within a reasonable probability.” Id.,

citing Our Place, Inc. v. Ohio Liquor Control Comm., 63 Ohio St.3d 570, 571 (1992). “To

be ‘probative,’ evidence must be relevant, or, in other words, tend to prove the issue in

question.” Id., citing Our Place at 571. “To be ‘substantial,’ evidence must have importance

and value.” Id., citing Our Place at 571.

{¶ 22} On appeal to this court, however, the standard of review is more limited.

Unlike the court of common pleas, a court of appeals does not determine the weight of the

evidence. Coleman v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 06AP-1299, 2007-Ohio-5007,

¶ 11, citing Rossford Exempted Village School Dist. Bd. of Edn. v. State Bd. of Edn., 63 Ohio

St.3d 705, 707 (1992). Rather than appraising the weight of the evidence, an appellate court

determines whether the common pleas court abused its discretion as to whether the

agency’s order is supported by reliable, probative, and substantial evidence. Id., citing Roy

No. 24AP-244 10

v. Ohio State Med. Bd., 80 Ohio App.3d 675, 680 (10th Dist.1992); Applegate at ¶ 11. An

abuse of discretion means that the court’s attitude is unreasonable, arbitrary, or

unconscionable. Coleman at ¶ 11, citing Blakemore v. Blakemore, 5 Ohio St.3d 217, 219

(1983). Absent an abuse of discretion, an appellate court must affirm the common pleas

court’s judgment, even if the appellate court would have concluded otherwise. Applegate

at ¶ 11, citing Lorain City School Dist. Bd. of Edn. v. State Emp. Relations Bd., 40 Ohio

St.3d 257, 261 (1988). However, on the question of whether the Board’s order is in

accordance with law, this court’s review is plenary. Coleman at ¶ 11, citing Univ. Hosp.,

Univ. of Cincinnati College of Medicine v. State Emp. Relations Bd., 63 Ohio St.3d 339,

343 (1992).

{¶ 23} For ease of analysis, we will address appellant’s assignments of error out of

order.

{¶ 24} In his second assignment of error, appellant contends the common pleas

court abused its discretion when it determined the Board met its burden of presenting

reliable, probative, and substantial evidence sufficient to prove the charges levied against

him. Specifically, appellant maintains the Board’s evidence did not support the conclusion

that he falsely responded to the question at issue on his December 2, 2021 renewal

application in an effort to mislead or deceive the Board.

{¶ 25} Pursuant to R.C. 4730.25(B)(8), the Board may discipline a PA for “[m]aking

a false, fraudulent, deceptive, or misleading statement * * * in securing or attempting to

secure a license to practice as a physician assistant.” The statute defines a “false, fraudulent,

deceptive, or misleading statement” as one that “includes a misrepresentation of fact, is

likely to mislead or deceive because of a failure to disclose material facts, is intended or is

likely to create false or unjustified expectations of favorable results, or includes

representations or implications that in reasonable probability will cause an ordinarily

prudent person to misunderstand or be deceived.” R.C. 4730.25(B)(8). In order to

discipline a PA under R.C. 4730.25(B)(8), the Board must prove that the PA intended to

mislead or deceive the Board. Menkes v. State Med. Bd., 10th Dist. No. 19AP-476, 2020-

Ohio-4656, ¶ 34 (construing analogous R.C. 4731.22(B)(5) applicable to physicians);

Accord Applegate at ¶ 12; Coleman at ¶ 12; Instanbooly v. Ohio State Med. Bd., 10th Dist.

No. 04AP-76, 2004-Ohio-3696, ¶ 15; Gipe v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 02AP-

No. 24AP-244 11

1315, 2003-Ohio-4061, ¶ 64. A licensee’s intent to mislead or deceive the Board “may be

inferred from the surrounding circumstances, such as when a licensee clearly has

information which he fails to disclose in a response to a direct question.” Coleman at ¶ 12,

citing Webb v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 146 Ohio App.3d 621, 628 (10th Dist.2001). Accord

Applegate at ¶ 12; Instabooly at ¶ 16; Gipe at ¶ 64. “Thus, ‘[d]irect evidence of intent is not

necessary because intent may be inferred from the surrounding circumstances.’ ” Menkes

at ¶ 37, quoting Mansour v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 17AP-615, 2018-Ohio-

2605, ¶ 19.

{¶ 26} In his renewal application, appellant denied that he had been investigated by

any employer since signing his last application for renewal. At the hearing, the Board

claimed that FSU’s November 5, 2021 letter informing appellant that he was under

investigation for alleged workplace sexual misconduct and its subsequent November 29,

2021 interview of appellant regarding those allegations constituted an investigation against

him by an employer that appellant should have disclosed. Appellant testified that he both

received the letter from FSU and was interviewed by FSU investigators prior to completing

the renewal application. However, he claimed he interpreted the term “investigated” as

meaning an investigation that had reached a conclusion, and because the FSU investigation

was still ongoing at the time he submitted his renewal application, he answered the

question truthfully and thus did not intend to mislead or deceive the Board.

{¶ 27} The hearing examiner’s report and recommendation sets forth a detailed and

exhaustive account of the evidence presented at the hearing, including appellant’s

testimony as to his interpretation of the term “investigated” and his explanation for not

disclosing the FSU investigation. The hearing examiner found appellant’s testimony and

explanation “simply not credible” and “incredulous.” (Record of Proceedings, Report &

Recommendation at 12.) In so determining, the hearing examiner noted appellant’s

“demeanor when testifying” and his “troubling” insistence that his interpretation was

justified. (Record of Proceedings, Report & Recommendation at 12.) Finding appellant’s

explanation not credible, the hearing examiner concluded appellant intended to mislead

the Board when answering no to the question on the renewal application. Appellant

reiterated his explanation at the Board hearing, stating he answered the question as he

No. 24AP-244 12

interpreted it, i.e., that the term investigated connoted a concluded investigation; as such,

he did not intend to deceive the Board in failing to report the ongoing FSU investigation.

{¶ 28} Essentially, appellant contends the hearing examiner and the Board should

have believed the explanation he provided regarding his answer to the question on the

renewal application. However, “[t]he board is under no obligation to believe [a licensee’s]

testimony den[ying] any intent to deceive.” (Internal quotations and citation omitted.)

Menkes at ¶ 37, quoting Mansour v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 07AP-78, 2007-

Ohio-6384, ¶ 25. See also Bhama v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 08AP-488,

2009-Ohio-819, ¶ 34 (“The board is not bound to accept a version of the facts that it does

not find credible where there is other evidence in the record to the contrary.”). Here,

appellant requests that we resolve factual conflicts in his favor, rehashing the same

arguments he presented both to the Board and the common pleas court. However, “[a]n

appellate court cannot second guess the Board’s credibility determinations.” Applegate at

¶ 21, citing Hoxie v. Ohio State Med. Bd., 10th Dist. No. 05AP-681, 2006-Ohio-646, ¶ 32.

Moreover, even if this court were inclined to assess appellant’s credibility, we cannot find

fault with the Board’s rejection of appellant’s explanation for answering as he did. As the

hearing examiner noted, the question at issue called for appellant’s disclosure of any

investigation conducted by his employer at any time after he signed his last application for

renewal. The question at issue is direct and straightforward and thus not subject to

interpretation by appellant. The renewal application made no provision for permitting

appellant to determine for himself the nature or scope of the information sought by the

Board with regard to investigations conducted by his employer. See Bhama at ¶ 34.

{¶ 29} Upon review of the record, we find that the evidence before the Board

demonstrates that when appellant completed the December 2, 2021 license renewal

application, he knew that he had been investigated by his employer for workplace

infractions since filing his last license renewal application. Nevertheless, he answered “no”

to a clear, unambiguous question that sought to ascertain that very information. Given this

reliable, probative, and substantial evidence, we conclude the common pleas court did not

abuse its discretion in finding that appellant intended to mislead or deceive the Board when

completing his December 2, 2021 license renewal application.

{¶ 30} Appellant’s second assignment of error is overruled.

No. 24AP-244 13

{¶ 31} In his first assignment of error, appellant contends the common pleas court

abused its discretion in determining that the Board did not violate his right to due process

when it disciplined him for uncharged misconduct.

{¶ 32} Both the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution and

Article I, Section 16, of the Ohio Constitution require that administrative proceedings

comport with due process. Macheret v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 188 Ohio App.3d 469,

2010-Ohio-3483, ¶ 24 (10th Dist.), citing Mathews v. Eldridge, 424 U.S. 319 (1976).

“Procedural due process requires administrative agencies to provide an individual with fair

notice of the precise nature of the charges that the agency will pursue at a disciplinary

hearing.” Id., citing Applegate at ¶ 23. “[T]he board’s notice is constitutionally sufficient

where the notice includes (1) the allegation against [the licensee], (2) the statute directly

involved, and (3) the reasons for the board’s proposed action.” Froehlich v. Ohio State Med.

Bd., 10th Dist. No. 15AP-666, 2016-Ohio-1035, ¶ 30, citing Gross v. Ohio State Med. Bd.,

10th Dist. No. 08AP-437, 2008-Ohio-6826, ¶ 24. “The question of whether due process

requirements have been satisfied presents a legal question we review de novo.” Seman v

State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 19AP-613, 2020-Ohio-3342, ¶ 20, citing Flynn v.

State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 16AP-29, 2016-Ohio-5903, ¶ 46. A licensee must

demonstrate that any violation of due process resulted in prejudice. Id. at ¶ 21, citing

Griffin v. State Med. Bd. of Ohio, 10th Dist. No. 11AP-174, 2011-Ohio-6089, ¶ 26.

{¶ 33} Appellant asserts that his due process rights were violated because the

April 13, 2022 notice failed to inform him that the Board intended to discipline him for the

alleged workplace sexual misconduct that motivated FSU to open an investigation against

him. Appellant contends that the Board’s notice included only a single allegation against

him, i.e., that despite being required to do so, he did not disclose the FSU investigation on

his renewal application. Appellant maintains that such was the only allegation he was

prepared to discuss and defend at the administrative hearing. Appellant contends that the

admission of State’s exhibit 5, the FSU investigative file, demonstrates that the Board

utilized the “salacious, prejudicial, allegations against Mr. Zedaker” contained in that

exhibit to deny his renewal application. (Appellant’s Brief at 9.)

{¶ 34} The hearing examiner consistently stated at the administrative hearing, in his

report and recommendation, and in the errata thereto that State’s exhibit 5 was admitted

No. 24AP-244 14

only for purposes of establishing a timeline of events related to the FSU investigation, i.e.,

when appellant was notified of the investigation and when he was interviewed by FSU

investigators. Further, in his report and recommendation and again in the errata thereto,

the hearing examiner expressly stated that he did not consider the findings of the FSU

investigation in the determination of whether appellant violated R.C. 4730.25(B)(8). As

such, appellant’s due process rights were not violated because appellant was not disciplined

for the disputed misconduct at FSU. See Applegate at ¶ 23. At most, the hearing examiner

simply viewed the disputed misconduct as further indication of appellant’s willingness to

lie to protect his own self-interest. Id.

{¶ 35} Moreover, this court has consistently found that the Board may consider

aggravating circumstances, including uncharged misconduct, during the administrative

hearing. Seman at ¶ 24, quoting Macheret at ¶ 28 (“ ‘[i]n setting the appropriate sanction

for the violations alleged and proven, the Board may, as it did, take into account aggravating

circumstances, including uncharged conduct.’ ”) Accord Froehlich at ¶ 31 (medical review

board may consider aggravating circumstances, including uncharged conduct, in

considering appropriate sanction). In his report and recommendation and errata thereto,

the hearing examiner expressly stated that he considered the uncharged misconduct only

in determining the appropriate sanction for the violation alleged and proven.

{¶ 36} At oral argument, appellant for the first time argued that the Board’s

requirement that appellant complete courses related to professional ethics and workplace

boundaries as part of the sanction violates this court’s holding in In re Eastway, 95 Ohio

App.3d 516 (10th Dist.1994), because that condition of probation is not supported by

reliable, probative, and substantial evidence. Appellant’s briefing reveals no reference to

Eastway. An appellate court will generally not consider an argument raised for the first

time at oral argument when a party had an opportunity to raise the issue in its brief. State

v. Clay, 10th Dist. No. 21AP-566, 2022-Ohio-2878, ¶ 18, citing Mun. Tax. Invest. L.L.C. v.

Northup Reinhardt Corp., 10th Dist. No. 19AP-26, 2019-Ohio-4867, ¶ 32, citing Serra v.

Serra, 1oth Dist. No. 15AP-528, 2016-Ohio-950, ¶ 16.

{¶ 37} Appellant’s first assignment of error is overruled.

No. 24AP-244 15

IV. Conclusion

{¶ 38} Having overruled appellant’s two assignments of error, we hereby affirm the

judgment of the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas.

Judgment affirmed.

MENTEL, P.J., and EDELSTEIN, J., concur.