Practicing Like a Lawyer - May 2008 - Disciplinary Case Summaries

• Publication year: 2008
• Pages: 119
• Citation: Vol. 37 No. 5 Pg. 119

37 Colo.Law. 119 Colorado Lawyer 2008.

2008, May, Pg. 119. Practicing Like a Lawyer - May 2008 - Disciplinary Case Summaries

The Colorado Lawyer
May 2008
Vol. 37, No. 5 [Page 119]

From the Courts
Colorado Disciplinary Cases

Disciplinary Case Summaries

These summaries of disciplinary case Opinions and Conditional Admissions of Misconduct are prepared by the Office of the Presiding Disciplinary Judge (PDJ) and are provided as a service by the Colorado Bar Association (CBA) The CBA cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the summaries.

The full text of the disciplinary Opinions follows the summaries page(s). The summaries and full-text Opinions also are accessible from the CBA website: www.cobar.org (click on "Opinions/Rules/Statutes"). Opinions including exhibits, complaints, amended complaints, and summaries, also are available at the PDJ website www.coloradosupremecourt.com/PDJ/pdj.htm, and on LexisNexis.

Summaries of Decisions Issued by the PDJ

No. 07PDJ024. People v. Biddle. 12/17/2007. Attorney Suspended Three Years.

Following a sanctions hearing, the PDJ suspended Grafton Minot Biddle, attorney registration number 09638, from the practice of law for a period of three years. Suspension was effective January 17, 2008.

While serving as a magistrate and later as a judge for the Douglas County Court, respondent engaged in an affair with a deputy district attorney who practiced in his courtroom. When judicial officials inquired about the affair, respondent denied it. He also failed to participate in these proceedings. The facts admitted by default constituted grounds for the imposition of discipline pursuant to C.R.C.P. 251.5 and violated Colo. RPC 8.4(a), 8.4(c), and 8.4(d). p.123.

No. 06PDJ083. Doering v. People. 02/29/2008. Attorney Readmitted to Practice Law.

Following a reinstatement hearing, a hearing board granted a Petition for Reinstatement filed by David M. Doering, attorney registration number 08259. Petitioner was reinstated to the practice of law immediately on the date of the order, subject to certain conditions.

A hearing board suspended petitioner on October 22, 2001, after he neglected three clients while suffering from depression and defaulted in the subsequent disciplinary proceedings. At the reinstatement hearing, petitioner provided substantial evidence that demonstrated his fitness to practice law and an overwhelming change in his character and mental health since the time of his original discipline. The hearing board therefore concluded that he met his burden of proof by clear and convincing evidence. Petitioner was ordered to pay costs of the disciplinary proceedings. p.125.

No. 06PDJ037. People v. Feather. 03/06/2007. Attorney Publicly Censured.

Following a hearing pursuant to C.R.C.P. 251.18, a hearing board publicly censured Gerald B. Feather, attorney registration number 05996. Sanction was effective March 6, 2007. The Colorado Supreme Court affirmed the hearing board's sanction on November 5, 2007.

Respondent and his client entered into a written contingent fee agreement "to collect back child support" in 1990. He thereafter reduced the child support arrearages to judgments and used $4,000 from one judgment to purchase an...