October 2013 Discipline

Louisiana State SealThe following Louisiana lawyers were the subject of Louisiana Supreme Court disciplinary orders or Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board recommendations made public during the month of October 2013.

Louisiana Supreme Court

  1. John E. Demoruelle. The court reinstated the petitioner to the practice of law after a two year suspension.
  2. Daniel Scarborough, IV. The court transferred the respondent to disability inactive status and deferred all disciplinary proceedings against him during period of disability.
  3. Brandi Traylor Boutwell. The court permanently disbarred the respondent for eleven counts of misconduct. She abandoned her law practice, failed to provide accountings of fees paid, failed to refund unearned fees to several clients, practiced law and held herself out as a lawyer after being placed on interim suspension, and failed to cooperate with the ODC in its multiple investigations.
  4. James H. Carter, Jr. The court suspended the respondent for six months, fully deferred, for practicing law while ineligible to do so as the result of his inadvertent failure to meet annual MCLE requirements from 2002 through 2010. During much of this period, the respondent was practicing law in Georgia.
  5. Brandi Michelle Sanders. The court denied the petitioner’s application for admission to the Louisiana bar despite a favorable recommendation from a court-appointed commissioner. The court denied the application due to the applicant’s pattern of “intentionally dishonest conduct which culminated in her arrest for identity theft” arising out of the use of a friend’s driver’s license because her license was suspended. The court also noted her lack of remorse and lack of rehabilitation.
  6. Trent Anthony Garrett, Sr. The court suspended the respondent from the practice of law for one year with all but six months deferred. Among other misconduct, the respondent neglected legal matters, failed to promptly return a client file, failed to cooperate with the ODC and made material omissions in his bar application.
  7. Frederick A. Stolzle, Jr. The court disbarred the respondent. Among other misconduct, the respondent neglected legal matters, failed to communicate with clients, converted $5,000 in client funds and committed a criminal offense (possession of marijuana). Two justices dissented and would have only suspended the respondent for three years.
  8. James E. Moorman, III. The court granted a joint motion filed by the respondent and ODC and placed the respondent on interim suspension.
  9. Joseph P. Raspanti. The court (by consent) suspended the respondent for six months, all deferred, for failure to communicate with three clients, settling a case without informed client consent, improperly notarizing a settlement release and failing to promptly deliver settlement funds to a client.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board

  1. Bradly David Meyer. The board recommended that the respondent be permanently disbarred. Among other misconduct, the respondent failed to provide competent and diligent representation to several clients, failed to communicate, failed to properly account for or return unearned fees and failed to cooperate with ODC. The board also noted the existence of seven aggravating factors and only one mitigating factor.
  2. Gary P. Duplechain. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended for three years. The board found that the respondent failed to remit a total of $5,000 in funds owed to his client, a title insurance company, over a period of several years. The board also found two mitigating factors.
  3. Sean Daniel Alfortish. The board recommended that the respondent be permanently disbarred for a federal conviction for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, identity fraud and health care fraud. Mr. Alfortish committed these offenses while serving as president of the Louisiana Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.
  4. Andrew Craig Christenberry. The board recommended that the respondent be suspended from the practice of law for one year and one day, with all but three months deferred. Mr. Christenberry accepted a $2,500 fee for handling an expungement matter in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court, did no work and kept the fee. The board found that he failed to act with reasonable diligence, failed to communicate with his clients and failed to properly account for or return unearned fees and failed to cooperate with ODC. The board also noted five aggravating factors, and no mitigating factors.

Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board Hearing Committees

  1.  Chanci Shermaine Shaw. The committee recommended that the respondent be permanently disbarred for a felony conviction of theft-by-fraud. Ms. Shaw bilked the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospital Medicaid Program out of $46,992.16 by knowingly submitting false Medicaid claims. She did not answer the formal charges, and those charges were deemed admitted.
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