Disciplinary Actions
See who has been disbarred or suspended during the most recent reporting period.
Discipline
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Plainfield attorney suspended with JLAP probation
A Plainfield attorney has been suspended for at least 180 days with two years of probation monitored by the Judges and Lawyers Assistance Program after he accepted retainers from several clients but failed to adequately communicate with or appropriately advance their cases.
South Bend attorney wanted for mail fraud arrested in Florida
An Indiana attorney wanted on several charges of mail fraud against elderly victims he allegedly exploited as part of an investment scheme has been arrested after federal authorities found him in Florida, according to the FBI.
Ex-New Haven City Court judge agrees to lifetime judicial ban
A northern Indiana city court judge who resigned at the end of the year after several judicial misconduct charges were filed against him has agreed to never again serve as a judge, the Indiana Supreme Court announced.
Indy attorney who told court ‘someone is going to die’ suspended
An Indianapolis attorney charged with intimidation against a Marion County court and other offenses has been suspended from the practice of law after the Indiana Supreme Court granted a petition for his emergency suspension.
Decatur lawyer sentenced to jail for forgery, counterfeiting
A suspended northern Indiana lawyer was sentenced Friday to nearly nine months in jail for forging a judge’s signature on a phony divorce order and sending a client a bogus email that she represented as coming from a deputy prosecutor. Jill Holtzclaw of Decatur was sentenced to serve 270 days behind bars followed by a year of probation for her convictions of Level 6 felony counts of forgery and counterfeiting.
Indy attorney who converted client funds, falsified attorney registration loses license
An Indianapolis attorney found guilty of converting client funds, falsifying attorney registration and lying to a court can no longer practice law in Indiana after the Indiana Supreme Court unanimously voted to disbar her.
Year in Review: Attorney discipline orders drop, but major misconduct cases tarnish profession
The rare subset of attorney discipline cases brought by the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission are the result of criminal charges against lawyers that could result in jail time. In that regard, the Hoosier State had plenty, even as total attorney discipline orders declined in 2018.
Disciplinary Actions – 12/26/18
Read who has resigned and who has been reprimanded during the most recent reporting period.
Bad business: Disciplinary Commission warns of ‘license rentals’
The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission addressed such questionable relationships in an advisory opinion that cautions Hoosier attorneys against “license rental” partnerships with out-of-state law firms or non-lawyer service groups. Through these partnerships, Hoosier attorneys lend their services to the out-of-state firm or non-lawyer group in exchange for a fee paid for limited client representation in Indiana.
New rule: Pence, lawyer Congress members exempt from CLE
Indiana lawyers who are members of Congress, senators or vice president no longer have to worry about meeting continuing legal education requirements under a rule adopted this week by the Indiana Supreme Court. The new rule also decreases CLE credits required for state lawmakers who are attorneys.
Lawyer doesn’t help his own cause in federal court discipline matter
A Merrillville lawyer who asked the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana to reconsider discipline imposed on him drew a harsh reply from the court, which said his conduct “lends further support to … concerns about his competence as a lawyer.” The district court denied John H. Davis' motion to reconsider his removal from the court's Roll of Attorneys last week.
Lawyer facing jail time for forgery, counterfeiting
A northern Indiana lawyer could be sentenced to nearly two years in jail after she pleaded guilty Tuesday to forging a judge’s name on a phony divorce decree and sending a bogus email bearing a deputy prosecutor’s name. Jill N. Holtzclaw of Decatur pleaded guilty to Level 6 felony counts of forgery and counterfeiting Tuesday in Adams Superior Court.
Indiana lawyer charged with fraud in alleged investment scheme
A lawyer who formerly worked in northern Indiana and already was ordered to repay more than $2.5 million to clients now is facing criminal charges. Federal prosecutors say 61-year-old Sven Eric Marshall, formerly of South Bend, is facing five counts of mail fraud for allegedly running an “elder abuse scam” through an investment company named Trust & Advisory Services of Indiana Inc.
Disciplinary Commission: ‘License rental’ model with non-Hoosier attorneys poses ethics risk
The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission is warning lawyers of the potential ethical pitfalls that can arise when Hoosier attorneys affiliate themselves with out-of-state law firms or non-lawyer legal services companies. Such relationships could allow the non-Indiana groups to offer legal services in the Hoosier state without actually having to be a member of the Indiana bar, the commission said.
Disciplinary Actions – 12/12/18
Read who was suspended from the practice of law during the most recent reporting period.
Brown County attorney resigns over disciplinary action
The Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday ordered a public reprimand of an Evansville attorney and accepted the resignation of a Brown County attorney who was facing multiple professional misconduct and trust account violations.
Suspended lawyer accused of forgery disciplined again
The Indiana Supreme Court on Wednesday again suspended from the practice of law a northern Indiana lawyer who is charged with felony forgery and was found to be noncooperative with another Disciplinary Commission investigation of a grievance against her.
Valpo lawyer suspended 1 day after conviction
The Indiana Supreme Court on Wednesday suspended a Valparaiso attorney who faced multiple criminal charges of violating protective orders and was convicted of one count in a bench trial a day earlier.
Disciplinary actions
Read who has been disbarred, has resigned, or was suspended in the most recent reporting period.