Erica Lafferty et al. v. Alex Emric Jones et al.

Summary

The Connecticut Appellate Court denied Norman A. Pattis’s writ of error challenging a two-week suspension from the practice of law imposed for violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct. The court held that the trial court acted within its discretion in weighing aggravating and mitigating factors and was not required to apply the American Bar Association’s Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions because those standards had not been formally adopted in Connecticut.

Holdings

1. The Superior Court was not obligated to follow the ABA Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions because those standards have not been formally adopted by the judges of Connecticut.
2. The Superior Court acted within its discretion in suspending Pattis from the practice of law for two weeks.
3. The appellate court would not reweigh the aggravating and mitigating evidence or substitute its judgment for that of the Superior Court regarding the appropriate sanction.

Questions Presented

1. Whether the Superior Court abused its discretion by imposing a two-week suspension rather than a reprimand.
2. Whether the Superior Court was required to follow the American Bar Association's Standards for Imposing Lawyer Sanctions.
3. Whether the Superior Court improperly weighed aggravating and mitigating factors in determining the sanction.

Disposition

writ_denied