Two lawyers suspended for non-cooperation with discipline investigations
Two Hoosier lawyers have been indefinitely suspended from the practice of law for failure to cooperate with investigations of ethics grievances against them.
Ethics & Professional Responsibility
Articles
Justices accepting disciplinary commission applications as Witte gets senior judge status
The Indiana Supreme Court is now accepting applications for a new disciplinary commission executive director as the current director prepares to retire and take senior judge status.
Ex-Johnson County Prosecutor Cooper gets 4-year suspension
The former Johnson County prosecutor who was convicted of assaulting his former girlfriend and attempting to cover up his crime was suspended from the practice of law for four years Wednesday without automatic reinstatement.
Suspended attorney sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for tax evasion
A former Schererville personal injury and medical malpractice attorney who pleaded guilty to tax evasion has been sentenced to two years in federal prison. The attorney, who was suspended from the practice of law last year, also was ordered to make restitution of more than $1.7 million.
Democrats ask ethics panel to investigate Sens. Cruz, Hawley
Seven Democratic senators on Thursday asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the actions of Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley “to fully understand their role” in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump.
Court: Georgia lawyer boasted about storming Pelosi’s office
The FBI says a Georgia attorney accused of joining the attack on the U.S. Capitol riot bragged on social media that he was among the first rioters to break into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office, and said she “probably would have been torn into little pieces” if they had found her there.
Disciplinary Commission director Witte to retire
Longtime attorney discipline executive director G. Michael Witte will retire from his post, the Indiana Supreme Court has announced. Witte, a former trial court judge who has overseen the disciplinary commission for a decade, will step down next month.
Indiana officials forcing out longtime casino executive
Indiana casino regulators voted Wednesday to force a longtime heavyweight in the state’s gambling industry to give up his ownership stake in a Lake Michigan casino, saying he had continued exerting control over its parent company in violation of state orders.
Bell and Grass: Confidentiality clauses, contraband and the duty to report
The Indiana Supreme Court recently issued a disciplinary opinion that addressed the issues of confidentiality clauses in settlement agreements, a lawyer’s handling of contraband, and the tension between a lawyer’s duty to report child abuse and the lawyer’s duty of confidentiality.
Murder conviction COA vacated over attorney juror’s misconduct reinstated
Indiana Supreme Court justices affirmed Wednesday that a Vanderburgh County man who murdered his wife was not harmed when an attorney juror in his trial committed gross misconduct. The high court reinstated the man’s convictions that had been vacated by the Indiana Court of Appeals over the attorney’s misconduct in providing a misleading answer on a jury questionnaire.
Justices reprimand lawyer for trying to ‘silence’ student in Park Tudor scandal
The prominent Indianapolis employment law attorney who faced professional discipline charges related to his handling of a former high school basketball coach’s student sexting scandal has received a public reprimand from the Indiana Supreme Court. A dissenting judge, however, would not impose any sanction on Ice Miller partner Michael Blickman.
Justices amend rules governing firm names, letterheads
The Indiana Supreme Court has issued an order amending a rule of the court concerning firm names and letterheads.
Disciplinary Actions
Read who has been reinstated, reprimanded and suspended during the most recent reporting period.
Trump’s legal team cried vote fraud, but courts found none
The Trump campaign legal strategy to overturn the results of the election may have played well in front of television cameras and on talk radio to Trump’s supporters, but it has proved a disaster in court. Judges uniformly rejected claims of vote fraud and found the campaign’s legal work amateurish.
Justices permit remote attorney disciplinary proceedings
Indiana Supreme Court justices in a Wednesday order provided instructions to hearing officers and parties in attorney disciplinary proceedings that have not yet proceeded to final hearing, perhaps most significantly permitting remote proceedings due to the continuing pandemic.
Hammond loses motion to dismiss after counsel makes misleading representation
An employment discrimination lawsuit against the city of Hammond will proceed after a federal court denied a motion to dismiss, finding counsel for the city had made misleading representations about her knowledge of the plaintiff’s hospitalization for a stroke.
COA orders acquittal of Long Beach man convicted of of fatally shooting wife
The Indiana Court of Appeals on Monday ordered the acquittal of John Larkin, convicted of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2012 shooting death of his wife. In overturning the verdict, the appellate panel concluded the LaPorte Superior Court erred in instructing Larkin’s jury. The years-long case was marked by police and prosecutorial misconduct.
Justices suspend attorney following multiple OWI arrests
A Huntington County lawyer who was arrested five times in a little more than a year on alcohol-related charges has been suspended from the practice of law for 180 days, with half of that time stayed.
Justices amend rules, disciplinary process for court interpreters
The Indiana Supreme Court has amended the rules governing court interpreters, with the changes set to take effect Jan. 1. The court approved the amendments to the Interpreter Code of Conduct & Procedure and the Disciplinary Process for Certified Court Interpreters & Candidates for Interpreter Certification.
Indiana attorney general may face bill over discipline case
Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill could face a big bill from the disciplinary case stemming from allegations that he groped a state lawmaker and three other women during a party. The disciplinary commission has asked the Indiana Supreme Court to order Hill to pay more than $50,000 in costs related to the ethics investigation that resulted in his 30-day suspension.