Lawyer Discipline

3 judges face ethics charges in White Castle shooting that injured 2 of them; what sparked the confrontation?

An Indiana judge raised her middle finger at two men who yelled something from an SUV before the men became involved in a fight outside a White Castle with two of her fellow judges, according to ethics complaints filed Friday against all three judges.

Oct 15, 2019 11:04 AM CDT

Lawyer disbarred after she’s accused of having romantic involvement with client and hiring detective to spy on him

A Georgia lawyer who cited the Fifth Amendment in an ethics case accusing her of inappropriate conduct with a client has been disbarred after the allegations were deemed to have been admitted.

Oct 11, 2019 11:20 AM CDT

Former BigLaw leader is reprimanded for inappropriately touching lawyers at bench-bar conference

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s disciplinary board on Wednesday ordered a reprimand for a former law firm leader accused of becoming inebriated and inappropriately touching female lawyers at a bench-bar conference. The lawyer is Timothy McMahon, a former managing partner at the Harrisburg office of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin,…

Oct 7, 2019 11:57 AM CDT

Ex-lawyer gets jail time for stealing from and vandalizing law firm; judge cites ‘vengeful’ sex toy purchase

A disbarred Pennsylvania lawyer was sentenced to 1½ to 3 years in prison on Wednesday for stealing from her Harrisburg law firm and vandalizing its offices after she was fired.

Oct 3, 2019 10:54 AM CDT

Lawyer is suspended partly for fundraising appeal on law firm website

A New York lawyer has been suspended in part because of a fundraising appeal on her Rochester law firm’s website.

Oct 2, 2019 12:51 PM CDT

Judge is removed from the bench for false statements about firing gun, retaliation

An Illinois judge has been removed from the bench based on accusations that he lied about accidentally firing a gun in his apartment and retaliated against two court employees who complained about sexual harassment.

Oct 2, 2019 11:34 AM CDT

Lawyer says it ‘would be an honor’ to be disbarred; disciplinary board aims to oblige

A Washington, D.C., lawyer may get his wish after he criticized disciplinary authorities and asked them to “do me the honor of disbarring me.”

Oct 1, 2019 10:13 AM CDT

Judge is suspended without pay after guilty plea in underwear case

A New York judge was suspended without pay Friday after he pleaded guilty to second-degree attempted burglary for trying to steal a woman's underwear.

Sep 30, 2019 4:42 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge refuses to step down from opioid litigation; BigLaw joins law profs in climate change fight

Judge overseeing nationwide opioid litigation refuses to step down The federal judge overseeing more than 2,000 lawsuits over alleged opioid addictions and overdoses refused to remove himself from a bellwether trial scheduled to begin Oct. 21 in Cleveland. Judge Dan Aaron Polster of the U.S. District Court for the Northern…

Sep 27, 2019 4:30 PM CDT

Judge ‘already mad’ over government’s refusal to disclose information to shooting survivors

A federal judge in San Antonio stormed out of his own courtroom and sanctioned Department of Justice lawyers Wednesday after they refused to disclose the names of Air Force personnel who failed to alert the FBI that an airman—who was later responsible for the deadliest church shooting in U.S. history—had a domestic violence conviction.

Sep 27, 2019 1:08 PM CDT

Ex-judge receives 5-year prison sentence for bribery scheme

A former Texas judge who was found guilty in July of accepting cash bribes in exchange for favorable court rulings has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Sep 27, 2019 9:58 AM CDT

Lawyer ordered to pay $775K to former law firm for failing to return electronic files

A St. Louis lawyer was held in contempt, jailed for two days and ordered to pay more than $775,000 to her law firm for expenses incurred in its bid to gain return of electronic files that she was accused of taking before her resignation.

Sep 26, 2019 3:32 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Nursing home executives fined $400 daily; did black nationalism influence Justice Thomas?

New book seeks to explain conservatism of Justice Clarence Thomas A new book called The Enigma of Clarence Thomas contends that the justice’s conservatism is shaped by his immersion in black nationalism in the 1960s and 1970s. Author Corey Robin sees parallels between the movement and Thomas’ dedication to achievement…

Sep 24, 2019 3:11 PM CDT

Lawyer accused of smelling of alcohol at client’s felony trial gets suspension

An Ohio lawyer has been suspended after he was accused of showing up for a client’s felony trial smelling of alcohol and refusing to submit to a breath-alcohol test.

Sep 24, 2019 10:17 AM CDT

Former immigration judge is disciplined for criticizing GOP policy at deportation hearing

A retired immigration judge has been fined $1,000 and barred from federal service for 30 months for criticizing Republican immigration policy while on the bench.

Sep 18, 2019 10:50 AM CDT