56 results for 'cat:"Sanctions" AND cat:"Attorney Discipline"'.
J. Edmondson suspends Kenyatta Ray Bethea for one year. Bethea pleaded guilty to a first-time misdemeanor DUI after colliding with two vehicles, injuring six people, including children, inflicting significant bodily harm. Clear and convincing evidence establishes the attorney is remorseful and has taken additional steps by leaving the ignition interlock device on his car for an extra two months. The attorney also independently sought counseling. There is no evidence he has a history of driving under the influence.
Court: Oklahoma Supreme Court, Judge: Edmondson , Filed On: May 14, 2024, Case #: SCBD-7443, Categories: Evidence, sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney Jack Herchel VanBibber will be suspended from the practice of law for two years for multiple criminal convictions stemming from traffic violations, his failure to comply with court orders related to those convictions and his refusal to cooperate with the ensuing disciplinary investigation. VanBibber continued to drive on a suspended license even after an OVI conviction, led police on a chase through a residential area after being pulled over and showed little respect to disciplinary proceedings when he refused to cooperate initially. However, because he has an otherwise clean disciplinary record, his suspension will be stayed so long as he commits no further misconduct.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: May 7, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-1702, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Morrison orders the former attorney, Andrew Plasse, in an excessive force lawsuit against New York City to transfer his client’s case file to the new counsel, Michael Walker, finding the Plasse is not entitled to either a retaining or charging lien after concluding he was discharged from the case with cause. Plasse was sanctioned by the court for failing to act in his client’s best interest, including withholding pertinent details of a proposed settlement agreement and by lying to the court about his client’s health in order to adjourn a scheduled conference.
Court: USDC Eastern District of New York, Judge: Morrison, Filed On: May 6, 2024, Case #: 1:14cv680, NOS: Other Civil Rights - Civil Rights, Categories: Civil Rights, sanctions, attorney Discipline
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[Consolidated.] J. Eaton finds the Professional Responsibility Board improperly entered two separate decisions with different sanctions regarding attorney Theodore studdert-Kennedy’s misconduct during a divorce proceeding. The board reduced a reprimand’s presumptive sanction to a private admonition, but this failed to consider if the his sanction was consistent with other cases. The decision is vacated and remanded for further proceedings. Reversed.
Court: Vermont Supreme Court, Judge: Eaton, Filed On: May 3, 2024, Case #: 23-AP-263, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney James Terry Robinson will be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law for his failure to self-report a felony conviction on drug charges and his continued use and sale of illegal drugs, including crack cocaine. Robinson admitted to drug use over an eight year period during a previous suspension, and will be ineligible for reinstatement until he completes a Narcotics Anonymous program and complies with all other continuing education requirements.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: May 2, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-1657, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Bedsworth holds that the trial court properly awarded $10,000 in discovery sanctions against a law firm. Regardless of whether the law firm was counsel of record when sanctions were imposed, it is liable because it misused the discovery process with unmeritorious objections, evasive responses and nasty emails, and its lead attorney was "woefully uncivil." Affirmed.
Court: California Courts Of Appeal, Judge: Bedsworth, Filed On: May 2, 2024, Case #: G061829, Categories: sanctions, Discovery, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney Daniel Edward Perrico will be suspended from the practice of law for two years following criminal convictions that stemmed from providing alcohol to his stepdaughter and two of her friends - all of whom were under 21 - and inappropriately touching one of the friends. Although Perrico has no previous disciplinary issues and cooperated with these proceedings, he abused a position of trust with the victims - all of whom regarded him as their father - and so an actual suspension is necessary to protect the public. However, the second year will be stayed so long as he commits no further misconduct.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: April 25, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-1540, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney John Taylor will be suspended from the practice of law for six months for his failure to provide honest answers on an application for a physician's assistant license, including whether he had ever been involved in a disciplinary investigation or had other aliases. Taylor had changed his name twice before he applied for the license and was investigated for the creation of child pornography images used in connection with his role as an expert witness in a criminal trial but failed to disclose any of this information on the application; however, because he has no previous disciplinary record and lost his physician's assistant license as a result of the misconduct, the suspension will be stayed in its entirety.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: March 27, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-1082, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney David Edmund Stenson will be suspended from the practice of law for one year for his failure to inform a client he lacked professional liability insurance and for his failure to keep several clients' retainers in a client trust account. Stenson was previously disciplined for similar misconduct, but if he completes continuing education courses regarding client management, six months of the suspension will be stayed.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: March 20, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-995, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds that attorney Christopher Mark Alexander will be suspended from the practice of law for one year for a felony traffic conviction that stemmed from a high-speed chase while intoxicated. Although Alexander has a disciplinary history, he was forthcoming about his crime, has since completed alcohol addiction services, remained sober for more than two years and shown remorse for his actions, all of which will allow for a stay of the suspension so long as he commits no further misconduct.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: March 14, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-900, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Kennedy finds attorney Joseph Bell will be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law for a felony conviction that stemmed from his solicitation of sex from an undercover police officer whom he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Bell was an assistant prosecutor in the juvenile division of the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, which makes his behavior more egregious because his job involved protecting children. Before he can apply for reinstatement in two years, he must complete community control sanctions imposed by the criminal court and submit proof from a medical professional that he has continued counseling.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Kennedy, Filed On: March 13, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-876, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Kennedy finds attorney Amber Renee Goodman will be permanently disbarred after she was convicted on a felony charge of unlawful sexual contact with a minor, which stemmed from her repeated rape of the 13-year-old daughter of her boyfriend. Although Goodman admitted her conduct was wrong and was previously abused by two husbands, she failed to take full responsibility for her actions, while a conviction for such heinous actions prevents her from ever serving as an attorney in the future.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Kennedy, Filed On: March 12, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-852, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds that attorney Gary Vick Jr. will be permanently disbarred for his neglect of numerous clients and his misappropriation of the advance fees of at least two clients. Vick also failed to respond to any of the requests made by the disciplinary committee and had previously been indefinitely suspended for other misconduct, all of which requires a permanent disbarment and restitution to his clients.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: February 20, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-557, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds that attorney Dennis Adams will be permanently disbarred for the neglect of several client matters and his misappropriation of settlement funds from a client involved in a car collision. Adams withheld more than $12,000 from clients after he settled a lawsuit and failed to pay outstanding Medicare liens on their behalf, and also withheld the settlement of another client, while he also failed cooperate with disciplinary proceedings, all of which requires permanent disbarment and restitution of more than $25,000 to the clients.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: February 20, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-559, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Furman sanctions plaintiffs counsel for failing to comply with nearly every deadline the court has set in this case. The attorney must pay $5,000 for wasting the court's time, and complete two additional hours of continuing legal education on issues relating to law office management given his inability to keep up with deadlines, not only in this case, but his extremely large docket in New York federal courts. Further, this matter is referred to the court's Committee on Grievances to determine if the attorney's conduct across the board violates the rules of professional conduct.
Court: USDC Southern District of New York, Judge: Furman, Filed On: February 16, 2024, Case #: 1:23cv3516, NOS: Amer w/Disabilities - Other - Civil Rights, Categories: Ada / Rehabilitation Act, sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Kennedy finds that Marion County Common Pleas Court Judge Jason Warner will be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law for felony convictions related to a hit-and-run car accident that occurred after he and his wife left a party where they had been drinking alcohol. Although Warner was not the driver of the car, he left the scene and waited more than nine hours to call law enforcement, but because the misconduct was not committed in his judicial capacity, he will be suspended and not disbarred.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Kennedy, Filed On: February 16, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-551, Categories: Judiciary, sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds that attorney Sarah Driftmyer will be suspended from the practice of law for one year after she failed to inform several clients she lacked professional liability insurance and failed to deposit those clients' payments into a trust account. Driftmyer was previously suspended for similar misconduct and so no portion of her suspension will be stayed. She will also be required to complete continuing education courses before she can be reinstated.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: February 15, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-540, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Southwick finds the district court properly sanctioned the attorney who represented a doctor in a due process and contract action against a university. After dismissal of several claims, the attorney continued to present frivolous arguments regarding the university's potential liability. Affirmed.
Court: 5th Circuit, Judge: Southwick , Filed On: January 31, 2024, Case #: 23-30335, Categories: Education, sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the circuit finds that the district court properly dismissed medical malpractice claims alleging injury from an unsuccessful abortion because the court did not abuse its discretion by dismissing sanctions for "persistent and knowing" failure to comply with multiple court orders on discovery. Separately, the circuit referred plaintiff's counsel to the grievance panel for further investigation of her use of artificial intelligence to generate a nonexistent case citation in a reply brief, which fell below professional conduct standards. Affirmed.
Court: 2nd Circuit, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: January 30, 2024, Case #: 22-2057, Categories: sanctions, Medical Malpractice, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds that attorney Lon'Cherie' Darchelle Billingsley will be publicly reprimanded for notarizing an affidavit on behalf of a client in a child custody case even though she was not present at the time the client swore to the document. Billingsley admitted her misconduct in front of the family court judge, and, although she attempted to make excuses, she cooperated with disciplinary proceedings and has no previous disciplinary record, which allows her to avoid suspension.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: January 25, 2024, Case #: 2024-Ohio-222, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Kennedy finds Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Daniel Gaul will be suspended from the practice of law and his judicial office, without pay, for one year for coercing plea deals out of several defendants, improperly questioning numerous defendants during their trials, and making demeaning comments to various defendants. Although Gaul did not engage in the misconduct to further his own interests, he repeatedly refused to admit the wrongful nature of his conduct and has a prior disciplinary record, which requires the court to impose a suspension that will not be stayed in any way.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Kennedy, Filed On: December 29, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4751, Categories: Judiciary, sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney Mark Stewart Bennett will be suspended from the practice of law for two years for the repeated sexual harassment of an intern at the U.S. Attorney's Office, including asking about her sex life, commenting on her appearance and touching her breast while the two were in the law library. The suspension will be stayed, as Bennett claims he was unaware his actions made the intern uncomfortable and has since sought counseling to help with the issue moving forward.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: December 29, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4752, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Faris reverses the bankruptcy court's monetary sanctions against an attorney who told it the debtors she represented had completed their Chapter 13 plan, when, in fact, they were more than $50,000 behind on mortgage payments. It is plausible the attorney's statements were not false; however, her conduct "ranged from negligent to reckless to seriously misleading," and the bankruptcy court can consider other measures, such as a referral to the disciplinary counsel. Reversed.
Court: 9th Circuit, Judge: Faris, Filed On: December 29, 2023, Case #: CC‐23‐1112‐FLG , Categories: Bankruptcy, sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney Douglas W. Bulson Jr. will be suspended from the practice of law for 18 months after he neglected a client matter and waited more than nine years to file a qualified order with a domestic relations court to allow for the transfer of retirement account funds to the client. Although the money could have been invested and earned the client additional funds in the intervening years, the lack of evidence to support a precise amount of lost earnings prevents a restitution order against Bulson, but a suspension is required because of his previous disciplinary issues.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: November 30, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4258, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds attorney Jack Allen Blakeslee will be suspended from the practice of law for one year for throwing a feces-filled Pringles can into the parking lot of a victim advocacy center while representing a juvenile client in a criminal case. Blakeslee admitted to throwing similar feces-filled items on at least 10 other occasions, a pattern of misconduct that warrants a suspension, although six months will be stayed as long as he commits no further misconduct.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: November 29, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4202, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds law school graduate Jared Cline's application for admission to the practice of law will be denied for his breach of a contract with the Ohio Lawyers Assistance Program that required him to attend AA meetings and refrain from consumption of alcohol for a 2-year period. Cline, who has a previous DUI conviction, drank several beers with family members after the death of his grandfather and refuses to accept he has a substance abuse problem.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: November 21, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4169, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline
J. Donnelly finds that former Hamilton County Juvenile Court Judge Tracie Hunter will be indefinitely suspended from the practice of law for a felony conviction that stemmed from her conduct as a judge, which included allowing social, political and family interests to influence her actions. Hunter sent a letter to the corrections facility that employed her brother and requested various documents while he was being investigated for misconduct and she was eventually convicted of a single charge of unlawful interest in a public contract. Although she had no prior disciplinary record, she refused to acknowledge the wrongful nature of her conduct and must be suspended indefinitely.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Donnelly, Filed On: November 21, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4168, Categories: Judiciary, sanctions, attorney Discipline
Per curiam, the Supreme Court of Ohio finds the affidavits from both a client and the attorney who investigated the individual's unauthorized practice of law were sufficient to establish he filed documents on the client's behalf and held himself out to be an attorney despite no authority to practice law in the state of Ohio. Therefore, a permanent injunction will be issued to prevent further misconduct and the individual will be fined $5,000.
Court: Ohio Supreme Court, Judge: Per curiam, Filed On: November 9, 2023, Case #: 2023-Ohio-4036, Categories: sanctions, attorney Discipline