Summary
The Supreme Court of Kentucky publicly reprimanded Christie Lynn Wright for practicing law while suspended for noncompliance with continuing legal education requirements and for failing to disclose her suspension status to a court. The court imposed ten hours of remedial ethics education, costs of $63.99, and a potential conversion of the reprimand to a 30-day suspension upon noncompliance or further misconduct.
Topics
Practice areas
Questions Presented
- Whether Wright violated SCR 3.130-5.5(a) by practicing law in Kentucky while suspended.
- Whether Wright violated SCR 3.130-3.3(a)(2) by failing to disclose her suspension or uncertain membership status to the tribunal.
- Whether the court should impose the agreed-upon sanction of a public reprimand and related remedial conditions.
Holdings
- Wright violated SCR 3.130-5.5(a) by practicing law in Kentucky after her suspension from practice.
- Wright violated SCR 3.130-3.3(a)(2) by appearing and representing a client in court without disclosing her suspension or the question concerning her Kentucky Bar Association membership status.
- The court granted Wright's motion and publicly reprimanded her, required ten hours of remedial ethics education, imposed costs, and authorized conversion of the reprimand to a thirty-day suspension upon specified noncompliance or a new misconduct charge during the two-year period.
Key quotations
“a lawyer shall not "practice law in a jurisdiction where doing so violates the regulation of the legal profession in that jurisdiction."” (859)
“a lawyer shall not knowingly "fail to disclose a material fact to the tribunal when disclosure is necessary to avoid a fraud being perpetrated on the tribunal."” (859-860)
Factual background
Wright had been suspended from practicing law in Kentucky on February 4, 2003, for noncompliance with continuing legal education requirements. While suspended, she filed pleadings and represented CertainTeed Corporation in Fayette Circuit Court, despite receiving notice that she was not authorized to practice in Kentucky. She appeared at a prehearing conference without informing the court of her suspension or the question concerning her membership status. The circuit court later disqualified her and struck pleadings filed during the suspension period.
Procedural history
Wright was suspended for noncompliance with continuing legal education requirements and was later restored to membership. While suspended, she practiced law in Kentucky, appeared in court, and failed to disclose her suspension or uncertain membership status. She admitted the charged violations and moved for imposition of a public reprimand, which the Kentucky Bar Association agreed to. The Supreme Court of Kentucky granted the motion and imposed the reprimand and additional conditions.