Disciplinary Actions: Oct. 1-Dec. 31, 2023

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.

Disbarment

Pursuant to a Dec. 19, 2023, opinion, Indianapolis attorney Marco Antonio Genesis Moreno was disbarred effective immediately. Moreno committed attorney misconduct by neglecting numerous client matters, charging and collecting unreasonable fees, engaging in deceitful behavior, repeatedly failing to cooperate with disciplinary investigations and ultimately abandoning his law practice, resulting in violations of Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct 1.1, 1.3. 1.4, 1.5(a), 1.16(d), 8.1(b), 8.4(c) and 8.4(d). The costs of the proceeding are assessed against him.

Public reprimand

Indiana Attorney General Theodore E. “Todd” Rokita was publicly reprimanded in a Nov. 2, 2023, opinion for violations of Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct 3.6(a) and 4.4(a). Rokita committed attorney misconduct by referring to an Indianapolis OB-GYN as an “abortion activist acting as a doctor — with a history of failing to report” on a national television program. He was also ordered to pay $250 in court costs. Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Christopher Goff dissented, believing the discipline is too lenient.

Suspension

Pursuant to a Nov. 30, 2023, order, Lawrence attorney Quentin G. Cantrell was suspended effective immediately for failing to cooperate with an Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission investigation of a grievance. The suspension will continue until the executive director of the Disciplinary Commission certifies that Cantrell has cooperated fully with the investigation or until further order of the court. The costs of the proceeding, $524.97, are assessed against him.

Pursuant to a Nov. 1, 2023, order, Speedway attorney John J. Coomes was suspended for 45 days with automatic reinstatement effective Dec. 12, 2023, for violating Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct 8.1(a) and (b). Coomes, who is licensed to practice law in Ohio, applied for a provisional license in Indiana in 2018, but failed to disclose his ongoing Ohio marital dissolution case on his Indiana application. At a hearing in the Ohio case, he admitted to submitting tax returns with inflated income figures. Also, in response to an inquiry by the Board of Law Examiners in Indiana, Coomes inaccurately stated that he had practiced more than 1,000 hours annually since his Ohio bar admission in 2010 and had devoted an average of 30 hours per week to practicing law. The costs of the proceeding are assessed against him.

Pursuant to a Nov. 8, 2023, order, Kokomo attorney Craig A. Dechert was suspended for 365 days, effective Dec. 20, 2023, with 60 days actively served and the remainder stayed subject to completion of at least two years of probation with monitoring by the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program. Dechert pleaded guilty to Level 5 felony operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, resulting in a violation of Indiana Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(b). The costs of the proceeding are assessed against him.

Pursuant to a Dec. 7, 2023, order Vincennes attorney Justin B. McGiffen was suspended for 60 days effective immediately with automatic reinstatement. McGiffen pleaded guilty to Level 6 felony impersonation of a public servant and Class C misdemeanor reckless driving, resulting in a violation of Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4(b) and (c). The costs of the proceeding are assessed against him.

Pursuant to a Dec. 14, 2023, order, Elkhart attorney Olubunmi O. Okanlami was suspended effective immediately after being found guilty of Level 6 felony resisting law enforcement. The interim suspension will remain in effect until further order of the Supreme Court or final resolution of any resulting disciplinary action.

Pursuant to a Dec. 11, 2023, opinion, Indianapolis attorney Angela Sallee Field Trapp was suspended for 30 days with automatic reinstatement effective Jan. 22, 2024. Trapp committed attorney misconduct by impermissibly communicating with a represented person about the subject of the representation and knowingly making false statements to a court about the impermissible communication, resulting in violations of Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct 3.3(a)(1), 4.2 and 8.4(d). The costs of the proceeding are assessed against her. Justice Derek Molter concurred in part but dissented from the sanction, believing a public reprimand is warranted.•