Disciplinary Actions – 1/16/13

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.

Suspension Rescinded
James A. Hanson, of Allen County, has been removed from the June 2012 court order suspending certain attorneys for failing to pay annual registration fees and/or performing CLE obligations. Hanson was included in the order for nonpayment and failure to satisfy his 2011 CLE obligation.

He petitioned for the suspension to be removed because it is impeding his ability to be admitted to the Indiana bar. At the time of the suspension, he was admitted to practice under a business counsel license, but after his employment ended, he was unable to secure later employment and his rights to practice in Indiana ended on June 26, 2011. He has since successfully passed the Indiana bar and Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, but cannot be admitted because of the 2012 suspension order.

The justices found as the rules are currently written, Hanson’s license to practice automatically “terminated” June 26, 2011, and there wasn’t more he was obligated to do as far as payment or CLE. His name is rescinded from the suspension order, per the Dec. 21, 2012, Supreme Court order.•