Urban Meyer Returns from Suspension after Domestic Violence Scandal

The big story that started Ohio State Football’s season unfortunately had nothing to do with the product on the field. Instead the past couple months have seen head coach Urban Meyer embroiled in a scandal regarding his former assistant coach Zach Smith and what Meyer did or did not know about Smith’s alleged domestic violence against his former wife Courtney in 2015.

Smith was alleged to have engaged in a pattern of domestic abuse against his ex-wife while an assistant coach under Meyer. This pattern of abuse included a felony assault arrest in 2009 after an altercation with Courtney while she was pregnant. Courtney declined to file charges. In 2015 police were called to the Smith residence by Courtney who claimed a domestic incident happened the night prior and that she had suffered sustained physical abuse.

In July, Smith was granted a domestic violence protection order. The filing alleged Zach Smith stalked Courtney and her children by hiding webcams in the house, hacking her email and computers, taking photos and watching the family from the back patio and hiding a phone in her car to track her. Additionally, she alleged that he cornered her and groped her in her laundry room and that he was arrested for trespassing at the family home while he was intoxicated.

While Meyer denied knowledge of the 2015 allegations, text messages between Courtney and Lindsey Voltolini, the wife of Ohio State’s director of football operations, seemingly indicate that Meyer was aware of the 2015 allegations. Courtney also claimed to have told Meyer’s wife, Shelley, about the abuse. Though no smoking gun was found, the evidence was enough for Ohio State to suspend Meyer for three games.

Meyer has since returned to the field and the 5-0 Buckeyes are ranked third in the country. The saga is seemingly over for Meyer but for Courtney Smith and other victims of domestic violence, the repercussions of domestic abuse can last a lifetime.

If you are a victim of domestic violence and need assistance, Joslyn Law Firm can help. Joslyn Law Firm has experience obtaining protective orders for victims and we are here to protect you.