Summary
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma imposed reciprocal discipline on Heather Cathrine Panick after she was suspended by Texas for two years for misappropriating funds. The court ordered that she be suspended from practicing law in Oklahoma for two years beginning on December 13, 2021, and continued the sealing of certain documents.
Topics
Practice areas
Questions Presented
- Whether Oklahoma should impose reciprocal discipline under Rule 7.7 of the Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings based on Panick's two-year suspension in Texas.
- Whether the misconduct underlying the Texas discipline would also constitute grounds for discipline in Oklahoma and whether the mitigating circumstances justified a lesser sanction.
Holdings
- Because Panick was suspended by Texas for two years, had a full and fair opportunity to contest the charges, did not dispute the Texas discipline or request an Oklahoma hearing, and the underlying misconduct would also warrant discipline in Oklahoma, Oklahoma must impose the same two-year discipline under Rule 7.7.
- Panick was suspended from the practice of law in Oklahoma for two years, beginning on the date the order was filed.
Key quotations
“Under Rule 7.7, of the Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings, 5 O.S. 2011, ch.1, app. 1-A, we impose that same discipline which Texas imposed.” (¶ 1)
“IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that the respondent be suspended from the practice of law in Oklahoma for two years.” (¶ 2)
Factual background
Panick was licensed to practice law in Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska and resided in Nebraska. Texas suspended her for two years after finding that she misappropriated funds from an organization for which she volunteered. She had a full and fair opportunity to contest the Texas charges, did not dispute the Texas discipline or request an Oklahoma hearing, and presented mitigating circumstances that the Oklahoma Supreme Court found insufficient to warrant lesser discipline.
Procedural history
Heather Cathrine Panick, who was licensed in Oklahoma, Texas, and Nebraska, was suspended by Texas for two years for misappropriating funds from an organization for which she volunteered. The Oklahoma Supreme Court proceeded under Rule 7.7 of the Rules Governing Disciplinary Proceedings; Panick did not dispute the Texas discipline or request an Oklahoma hearing. The court imposed the same two-year suspension in Oklahoma.