Disciplinary Actions

The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission brings charges against attorneys who have violated the state’s rules for admission to the bar and Rules of Professional Conduct. The Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications brings charges against judges, judicial officers, or judicial candidates for misconduct. Details of attorneys’ and judges’ actions for which they are being disciplined by the Supreme Court will be included unless they are not a matter of public record under the court’s rules.

Contempt
Suspended Marion County attorney Dorothy J. Thomsen was found in contempt and fined $500 for failing to respond to a complaint that she practiced law and held herself out as an attorney, per an Oct. 4 order. Thomsen did not respond to a disciplinary commission order asking her to show cause why she should not be held in contempt for sending a letter bearing the header “Thomsen Law Office” to the Marion County Department of Child Services. The letter was captioned “Notice of Suit – Intent to File,” and she purported to represent a client intending to file a federal lawsuit against a family case manager. Costs of the proceeding are assessed against Thomsen.

Suspensions
Marion County attorney Breanne Joy Strubinger was suspended from the practice of law for at least 90 days without automatic reinstatement, effective immediately, per an Aug. 30 order. Strubinger violated terms of her disciplinary probation due to noncompliance with monitoring by the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program required in a discipline order issued Oct. 5, 2017. Costs of the proceeding are assessed against her.

Adams County attorney Jill N. Holtzclaw was indefinitely suspended from the practice of law per a Sept. 21 order. Holtzclaw had previously been suspended in July after she was criminally charged with forging a judge’s name on a phony order in a divorce case and accused of sending emails to an expungement client’s widow posing as a deputy prosecutor. The Sept. 21 order extends her suspension due to noncooperation with a disciplinary commission investigation of grievances against her. Holtzclaw is ordered to pay the $513.34 cost of prosecuting the proceeding.

Reinstatement
Marion County attorney Lindsay C. Potthast was reinstated to the practice of law per a Sept. 27 order, following her petition and hearing for reinstatement. Potthast was suspended on May 6, 2016, for at least 90 days without automatic reinstatement for a 2015 Level 6 felony conviction following a guilty plea to operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated with a prior conviction within five years. Potthast must pay any costs of the proceeding.

Reprimand
St. Joseph County attorney Anna D. Saar was publicly reprimanded in a Sept. 21 order approving a statement of circumstances and conditional agreement for discipline. Saar admitting to collecting an unreasonable fee from a client. Costs of the proceedings are assessed against her.•