Kentucky Bar Association v. Suzanne Prieur Land

Summary

The Kentucky Supreme Court imposed reciprocal discipline on Suzanne P. Land after the Ohio Supreme Court indefinitely suspended her for misconduct involving three estates, fraudulent documents, and related federal criminal conduct. The court suspended Land from practicing law in Kentucky until her Ohio suspension is lifted and imposed associated notice and cost obligations.

Holdings

1. Kentucky must impose reciprocal discipline because Land did not show a lack of jurisdiction or fraud in the Ohio proceeding and her misconduct did not warrant substantially different discipline in Kentucky.
2. Land is suspended from practicing law in Kentucky until her suspension by the Ohio Supreme Court is lifted, after which she may seek reinstatement subject to Kentucky's reinstatement procedures and the specified probation, treatment, and professional-assistance conditions.

Questions Presented

1. Whether Kentucky should impose reciprocal discipline after the Ohio Supreme Court indefinitely suspended Land from the practice of law.
2. Whether Land established by substantial evidence either a lack of jurisdiction or fraud in the Ohio disciplinary proceeding, or that her misconduct warranted substantially different discipline in Kentucky.

Disposition

other